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I may be a little biased, but Silverado Jewelry Gallery is one of my favorite stores in Saratoga Springs! I have worked part-time at Silverado for a year now so I have an up close and personal view of the store. I love everything about Silverado...the jewelry collections, the store's vibe and most of all the incredibly friendly sales team that mother-daughter owners Robyn Hanst and Whitney DeChene have put together to help people shop for that special jewelry piece. Silverado has a prime location right in the center of Broadway so you can't miss it as you are strolling up and down the main drag. From the moment you enter the store you sense that you are going to have a different shopping experience. The natural wood display cases, the succulent wall displays and the warm wall colors immediately calm and relax you as you browse around. It is definitely a different feel from the traditional jewelry stores most of us are used to. Another difference you will notice right away is that customers are encouraged to try on and play with the jewelry. Even if you are not seriously shopping for a piece of jewelry, the sales team is more than happy to pull out any items that catch your eye. All customers are encouraged to try on and mix and match different pieces. One thing I have realized after working at Silverado is that a piece of jewelry comes to life when it is being worn by the right person. It is fun to watch people try on different things and see when that magic happens. You will know it when it does. The customer experience that Silverado has created makes each guest feel special and attended to. Robyn and Whitney do a great job to curate a selection of jewelry in the store that will please a wide variety of tastes at a wide variety of price points. So if you are visiting Saratoga on a girl's trip, you can visit Silverado and there is something for everyone. They have carefully selected a number of jewelry designers to highlight in their store and each one has their own unique style. Here are some highlights from just a few of my favorite designers. Rene Escobar: I LOVE the bracelets Silverado carries from Rene Escobar. They are made from Sterling Silver and 18K Yellow Gold and Rose Gold. Warning: You will have a hard time stopping at just one! They look beautiful in a stack and they are addicting. Another bonus, they are very durable. You can sleep, sweat, swim, and shower in them without worrying about damaging them. I have learned that I am pretty hard on my jewelry just living my life, but these bracelets "take a licking and keep on ticking"! Maggie Harding Designs: Maggie actually works at Silverado when she is not busy designing and creating unique jewelry pieces. Maggie loves spending time in nature and this is reflected in her creations. The thing I love about Maggie's necklaces is the intricate metal work on the back of the stone setting. She creates a nature scene on reverse side of the stone setting that corresponds to the specific stone used in the piece (peep the reflection in the mirror below the necklaces). I love this very unique aspect to her designs. I also have one of her popular twig bracelets that adds a rustic element to my bracelet stack. So cool that you can actually meet the artist who designed your piece while shopping at Silverado! These are just a couple of the unique designers featured at Silverado Jewelry Gallery. They have just launched a beautiful new website where you can check out more of the various designers and easily make a purchase right on line! The link to the website is here. Not all items are available on the site, so if you are in Saratoga Springs make sure to stop in the store to see all the beautiful pieces in person. Also, trying on the jewelry is so fun you won't want to miss out on that experience! Silverado Jewelry Gallery is the perfect spot to buy a unique Saratoga memento for yourself to remember your visit. It is also a great spot to purchase that special gift for someone else. The staff, including myself, absolutely loves to help customers shop around the store and pick out that perfect piece. Make sure to stop by Silverado on your next visit to Saratoga and play with the jewelry!

Quaint Seating ARea at Henry Street Taproom Saratoga Springs is a foodie haven! There is no shortage of high end restaurants with acclaimed chefs to satisfy those with adventurous palates. But sometimes you just want to have a low-key, casual meal (or you have a picky eater in your group that doesn't want to venture into eclectic cuisine...ahem, that would be me). Luckily Saratoga has plenty of restaurants that are perfect for this kind of meal as well. Here are my three favorite Saratoga eateries perfect for a relaxed night with friends or for picky eaters like me! Cantina If you have been following along with my recent rebrand and relaunch of my website, this choice will come as no surprise to you. I gave away a gift card to this restaurant and went Live from this site to announce the winner. I always recommend Cantina to people looking for a place to eat when visiting Saratoga. Cantina serves fresh, contemporary Mexican and Southwest cuisine and "exceptional margaritas" (which I can personally confirm!). I grew up in Colorado and have had a hard time finding equivalent Mexican food on the East Coast. I finally stumbled on a couple of decent places, but for overall dining experience Cantina takes the prize. Cantina has a large space with lots of tables so even if they are busy, the wait is usually not too long. They also have a great outdoor seating area. If you get lucky enough to snag one of these tables in the peak summer season, you will get an unexpected entertainment bonus with people-watching as horse racing fans walk up and down the main drag. Even if you are seated inside, there is a great energy about the place that makes it a great choice for dinner with friends. If you have to wait for your table, make sure to head up to the rooftop bar to order a drink while you wait. I highly recommend the Coconut Margarita with a sugar rim! But note, they don't serve any food on the rooftop; you can only get drinks. The rooftop is a great spot to chill so rest assured you will not be impatiently waiting for your table! With regard to the food, I can only personally speak to the Chicken Chimichangas because I order the same thing every time I go here. It's that good! (But I switch out the black beans for a second serving of rice so if you order this meal it will have a serving of black beans with it!) All of the people I have taken to Cantina have praised the meal they had, so I think you are good no matter what you order from their menu. Cantina has a LARGE selection of flavored Margaritas including Mango, Peach, Guava, Prickly Pear, Blackberry, Pomegranate, Passion Fruit, Raspberry, Pineapple, Strawberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, Blood Orange, Coconut, Jalapeño, and Watermelon. Again, I usually push the Coconut Margarita and have never had a disappointed customer. If Margaritas are not your thing, Cantina also has a variety of speciality house cocktails, bottled and draft beers and a several styles of Tequila and Mezcal. If you are in the mood for Mexican food, put Cantina at the top of your list! Check out their menu here. Druthers Brewing Company If I'm not feeling Mexican food, Druthers is my next go- to. Again, they have a great outdoor area as well as an indoor dining and bar area. Their menu is varied and they brew their own craft beers. Druthers is well-known for their Mac and Cheese dishes. There is the original Mac and Cheese as well as gourmet flavors like BBQ, Street Corn, Buffalo Mac and Loaded Mac. The perfect comfort dish on those chilly upstate winter nights! They also have delicious wood-fired pizzas, burgers, seasonal salads and a number of unique appetizers for sharing. The food is so filling that I never have room for dessert, but I intend to head there some time for dessert only so I can try their Reeses Peanut Butter Pie or the Reeses Peanut Butter milkshake. Yum! My favorite thing to order when I go to Druthers is a half Strawberry Field salad and a Loaded Grilled Cheese sandwich. The Loaded Grilled Cheese has pulled chicken, bacon bits, muenster cheese, cheddar cheese, BBQ sauce and randh dressing grilled on sourdough bread. Certainly not diet-friendly but worth the calorie splurge! The combination of flavors is amazing! As I mentioned, there is a large outdoor patio area that has heaters making the space a year round extension of the restaurant. It is decorated with an abundance of greenery and hand-painted murals creating a vibey space for a fun lunch or dinner. It is a great space for a larger dinner party, but reservations would be necessary. Check out all of the menu and craft beer selections here. Henry Street Tap Room Henry Street Tap Room is located a couple of blocks off the hustle and bustle of Broadway. Because it is off the main drag, it feels more calm and relaxed which is a nice respite from the busy summer in Saratoga. Henry Street Taproom makes all of its menu items from scratch. Check out their menu here. They also have a wide selection of beers and ciders on tap with an everchanging 16 tap selection! You can order a flight of beer if you can't decide. Henry Street Tap Room has a beautiful inside dining room. They also have a nice outdoor setup for those warmer summer months. There is a picture of their quaint dining area at the start of this blog post! I will certainly highlight many more of the amazing restaurants here in the Saratoga area, but if you start with these you will not be disappointed. Let me know your favorite spot in Saratoga and tell me your favorite meal so I can highlight it on a future blog!

Entrance to the Coors Brewery One summer when I was in college (which was, ahem, several years ago), I was lucky enough to land a temporary job working at the Coors Brewery as a greeter/hostess welcoming tourists who wanted to come take a tour of the brewery and learn how the famous Rocky Mountain beer was made. My job was to organize guests into groups of 12 to take the guided tour. Those in the know would come in and ask to take the "short tour" which was basically a fast track to the tasting room. On my recent trip home, my sister and I decided to check out Coors Brewery for this blog and I found myself on the visitor side of the tour. Turns out we didn't plan far enough in advance to secure a spot for a guided tour and we were "forced" to take the infamous short tour (now known as a "Sampling Only" experience). While I was disappointed to miss the tour, I was very excited to get to taste freshly made Coors Light...my favorite beer! Regardless of which Coors experience you choose, visiting Coors Brewery and the surrounding small city of Golden is a great way to spend the afternoon. The Coors Mystique I may get teased incessantly about my love for Coors Light, but there was a point in time where Coors beer was a coveted beverage. For a long time, it was only sold west of the Mississippi and only in 11 western states. It was the number 1 selling beer in all of those states (except Texas because it was not distributed to all parts of the state). Coors didn't do a lot of paid advertising at the time, but the lack of wide spread distribution and resulting scarcity created a mystique around the beer that made it a highly desired beverage for East Coasters. Rumors spread of people smuggling cases of Coors back to family and friends living east of the Mississippi. Presidents and movie stars requested Coors to be provided in the White House and on set. The Coors mystique peaked in 1977 when the whole premise of the Smokey and the Bandit movie was for the main character (played by Burt Reynolds) to smuggle 400 cases of Coors from Texas to Georgia for a large sum of money. This plotline is highlighted in the Coors museum with a picture of the trunk of Smokey's car filled with cases of Coors. It wasn't until the late 1980's that Coors became licensed to sell east of the Mississippi. All varieties of Coors beers are widely available across the US so there is no longer such a mystique around the beer. The continuous ridicule I receive for basically drinking "water" when I order my Coors Light shows the respect has diminished. I am a loyal consumer though and would still be willing to smuggle cases of Coors Light if I couldn't get it here in New York. Thank goodness I don't have to face that moral dilemma! Planning Your Visit Things have changed since my college summer job days. The brewery has grown and gotten more popular. Coors Brewery claims to be the largest single site brewery in the world. Reservations are now required for both the Coors Brewery Tour and the Sampling Only experience. Guiding tours are made available 28 days in advance. A guided tour costs $20 and takes approximately 1.5 hours. If you are 21 or over, the tour will end in the tasting room with your choice of 3 samples in branded recyclable aluminum cups that you can keep for future beer drinking. Non-alcoholic beverages are also available for younger visitors and your designated driver! The Sampling Only costs $10 and will take you straight to the Coors hospitality lounge for the 3 samples. You do not have to plan as far in advance if you only want to do the tasting, but you still need a reservation. Spots for Sampling Only are made available 1 to 7 days in advance. Even if you choose to just do the Sampling Only, you will still get the branded recyclable aluminum cups to keep after your tasting. You can make your reservation for a Brewery Tour or a Sampling Only here. When You Get There There is a separate parking lot for tour parking with a shuttle bus to take you to the tour greeting area. TOURIST TIP: You should be aware that as Coors Brewery is a food manufacturing facility, so there are strict security and safety measures in place about what can be brought into the Brewery. The Brewery does not allow ANY bags so make sure to leave your purse, backpack, fanny pack or shopping bags in your hotel room or your car. Only a small wallet is permitted. A woman in front of us had to walk back to her hotel room to drop off her purse because they have no place to store or hold a prohibited bag. They will divide guests into groups based on whether you are taking a Brewery tour or a Sampling Only experience and further divide guests based on reserved entry time. It is good to get to the parking lot/shuttle bus loading area about 10-15 minutes early, especially if you are taking a tour so that you can get to the Brewery before the tour leaves. The shuttle bus ride is only a few minutes and the driver will give you an overview of what to expect when they drop you off. How My Expectations Were Built Up and Then Crushed..But Then Revived ! On the shuttle bus ride over to the Brewery, the driver told us about the beer that would be available to taste. She listed Coors Banquet (the original Coors beer brewed from Rocky Mountain Spring Water), a couple of Colorado Native brands (Coors answer to craft beer made with only Colorado ingredients, Blue Moon, Coors Edge (non-alcoholic) and my favorite...Coors Light! She also said that in addition to the Coors Light from the tap, we would have the chance to taste SUPER COLD Coors Light served just below freezing from a mountain of ice. Any one who knows me knows I have a tendency toward Disneyland expectations for every experience I plan to have. So given this information my mind immediately started picturing an adult Willy Wonka style beer tasting with a mountain ice sculpture in the center of the room with a blue light inside (to indicate that the beer was cold enough to drink of course) with Coors Light flowing from the top like lava so you could just reach your cup out and fill it up! Imagine my surprise and disappointment when this is what the mountain of ice looked like... My overzealous expectations aside, I will say Coors Light served Super Cold is amazing! I also tasted Coors Banquet and the Coors Native Wildflower Honey Helles (inspired by wildflowers found in the Colorado Mountains and made with Colorado-produced honey for a hint of sweetness). Both of those were also great-tasting. My sister went for her favorite Blue Moon. After enjoying the three tastings of your choosing, you can head over to the gift shop to purchase all kinds of Coors branded merchandise. Once you finish your Brewery Tour or your Short Tour, make sure to spend some time wandering on the main street in Golden right across from the Brewery. There are lots of cute shops and restaurants to make your visit to Coors Brewery and the City of Golden a full day! If you are visiting Colorado, you have to make time to tour the quintessential Colorado brewery (at least the "short tour"!) A trip to Coors and then a visit to Golden is the perfect Colorado afternoon!

Most people have heard of the iconic Red Rock Amphitheatre and have a Bucket List item to see a concert there. But Red Rocks is also nostalgic for me. I grew up in Colorado so I was fortunate enough to go to many concerts there. I took the experience for granted and didn't realize that I was setting the bar so high that any future concert venues would pale in comparison. Since my early concert going days, there have been many changes to the Amphitheatre that have improved the visitor experience whether you make it to a concert or just take a trip to see the famous red rocks. Back in the Day... When I used to go to concerts at Red Rocks, the whole place was General Admission. We would arrive SUPER early in the morning and line up at the gate. The doors (at the top of the Amphitheatre) opened at 11:00 am and everyone would run down the stairs (carrying their blankets and coolers) to grab their spots. I had great seats to a lot of concerts and made a lot of concert friends waiting in line and sitting in Red Rocks all day waiting for the concert to start. I also learned some hard lessons about day drinking in the sun! Back in the day, Red Rocks was a BYOB venue and you could pack your cooler full of drinks for a day of partying until the concert began. It should go without saying that drinking alcohol all day in the intense Colorado sun is not a good combination, but...YOUTH. I still can't drink Rum and Coke to this day. I learned it is VERY important to hydrate with water along the way AND to space out your drinks. At some point the venue switched to have mostly assigned seats with a small area of General Admission seats in the middle of the seating area. That changed the way people experienced Red Rocks. However, you can still snag good seats on the side of the seating area in flat planting garden areas if you get there early enough. Present Day... The Red Rocks Amphitheatre has been upgraded in many ways. As noted above, most seats are assigned so you don't have to arrive at the crack of dawn just to see your favorite band. My younger self wouldn't think this was an improvement, but my older self definitely appreciates this change. Another change occurred in 1997 when in-house concessions for wine and beer opened and ended the BYOB era. Red Rocks has also added a Red Rocks Museum at the top of the Amphitheatre which highlights the history of the park and documents all of the acts that have performed at Red Rocks over the years. It was interesting to learn that Red Rocks was named best performance venue so many times by Pollstar (a professional journal for concert promoters) that they finally removed Red Rocks from the yearly competition and named it the "Red Rocks Award". It was also fun to look at the list of shows at Red Rocks each year (especially for 1981-1987) and check off all of the shows I attended. Memories.... Not Just for Concerts... Here are some other ways to spend a day at Red Rocks in case you don't make a concert there: Head up for a work out on the Red Rock stairs. There is a 100 foot elevation difference from the stage to the top row. Go for a hike. The Red Rocks Park has several hiking trails around the area that provide heart-pumping climbs and beautiful views. We did the Red Rocks and Morrison Slide Trails and I took several Insta-worthy pics. Find a map and a description of the Red Rocks and Morrison Slide Trail from All Trails here. Eat lunch at Ship Rock Grille. Check out the Red Rocks Museum at the top of the Amphitheatre. Go the Trading Post just outside the Amphitheatre for Red Rocks souvenirs, apparel and historical memorabilia. You can also visit the Colorado Music Hall of Fame exhibit here. Other Interesting Facts... Check out this article from The Denver Post from June 2, 2016, for 75 interesting facts about the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. Some historical info as well as some tidbits of gossip about acts that have played at Red Rocks. A Red Rocks Story That Involves One of My Biggest Regrets... In 1983, I was a young college student at CSU. My friend Shelley was a big fan of this up and coming band named U2 and she asked me if I wanted to attend their concert at Red Rocks. I think I initially said yes, but on the day of the show it was pouring rain. I didn't really know the band and didn't feel like sitting outside in the downpour so backed out at the last minute. Shelley, being the superfan that she was, went anyway and experienced rock and roll history. According to the exhibit at the Red Rocks Museum, U2 couldn't cancel the show without losing money on the film crew they had hired to film "Under a Blood Red Sky" so they played the show in the pouring rain and asked all the faithful fans who had shown up (only about 4,400 of the 9,000 ticket sold-out show) to crowd to the front so the venue looked full when they filmed the video. That video is iconic and rocketed U2 and Red Rocks to international acclaim. U2 has not ever played at Red Rocks again. Shelley will never let me forget this lapse in judgment and my missed opportunity to be part of a historic rock moment. Ironically I became a huge U2 fan after that and have huge regrets about that decision. Evidence of the Epic Missed U2 Show You should definitely try to plan a visit to Colorado around a Red Rocks concert you would like to see so you can experience this premier music venue. But if the scheduling doesn't work out, still make time to take a trip to Morrison to explore all that Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre has to offer. There is a lot more to see and do then just the awesome music!

Seattle is an area that is known for its fresh seafood, rich coffee and abundant microbrews. There are seafood restaurants and microbreweries on every corner. Need a cup of coffee? There is a Starbucks every few steps (of course), not to mention a gazillion other gourmet coffee shops every where you turn. But what is a girl to do if she finds herself in Seattle and she doesn't like seafood, microbrews OR coffee?!? Not to worry...I did not starve or go thirsty. Turns out there are lots of delicious options for us "foodie outcasts". After doing some investigative research and getting a recommendation from a Seattle local, I chose to grab lunch at a spot called The Pink Door which is located on Post Alley, just a few steps away from Seattle's famed Pike Place Market. As I wandered down Post Alley, I bumped into other "Pink Door" explorers looking for the restaurant. We came upon a pale pink door with the pale pink barred windows, but there was no external signage indicating that we had found the restaurant. I timidly opened the pale pink door and was greeted by a bustling, crowded room filled with people. It felt distinctly like the speakeasy I went to in Washington DC, the low-key exterior completely masking the activity and energy going on behind the door! The Lowkey Entrance into the Pink Door As I was alone, I made my way to the bar and snagged a seat. The local that gave me the head's up about this restaurant recommended that I order the Lasagne or the Bolognese (telling me it would be the best Bolognese I would ever have!). I decided on the Bolognese and can honestly report that it WAS the best Bolognese I have ever had! The meal was served with freshly baked bread which is always provided at no cost! All dishes are prepared using in season produce from small to medium local farms and are inspired by the owner's Italian-American upbringing in upstate New York. Although the Lasagne and Bolognese are especially popular, I don't think you can go wrong with any item on the menu. Complimenting the excellent food is the eclectic vibe of the restaurant. It is located in a historic space that used to house a violin shop. The space is filled with artistic touches and ephemeral design pieces creating an enchanting environment. Adding to the dreamlike feel is the unique and varied entertainment provided nightly. I intended to return the next night to catch the trapeze artist who performs tricks high above diners in the main dining room, but had a scheduling conflict and couldn't make it back to catch the show. They also have roving tarot card readers and cabaret acts for diner's enjoyment. Even if you are a fan of seafood, coffee and microbrews, I would make sure to visit The Pink Door if you find yourself in Seattle. And make sure you go for dinner so you don't miss the unique nightly entertainment. How many people can say they have eaten dinner with a trapeze artist doing tricks nearby!

Bats, BBQ and Breakfast Tacos? Must be in Austin, Texas. Austin has been on my travel bucket list for a long time. Austin is marketed as the "Live Music Capital of the World" and I love live music. I went expecting a Nashville vibe and was so excited because, as you know from my post about Nashville (which you can find here), I LOVE Nashville. However, I have to be honest and say I was a little disappointed when I first got to Austin. If there is a Nashville-type area with live music playing all day long, I never found it. There are a lot of different Districts in the downtown Austin area and it can be confusing to figure out where to stay and where to go if you are not familiar with the area. While our hotel was very cool and had a great location, I don't think we were in the best place for the live music experience. Despite my music letdown, we still had a great time exploring Austin and taking in all of the other things it has to offer like Bats, BBQ and Breakfast Tacos! I hope this blog helps you figure out what you want to experience in Austin and then find the best location to use as your home base to explore this very progressive and interesting city. Best Places to Stay: As I said, there are several different "Districts" in downtown Austin that each have their own distinct vibe. You should pick a hotel that is located in the District that is situated closest to the things you are most interested in. Here is a brief summary of some of the more popular entertainment Districts: Congress Ave Historical District: Congress Avenue runs through the center of downtown Austin from Lady Bird Lake to the Texas State Capitol. Hotels in this area will be close to the Texas State Capitol and government offices as well as Austin's central business district. South Congress Avenue (or "SoCo" as the locals call it) will probably be on your Austin To Do List. See my description below under Things To Do for the reasons. Sixth Street Entertainment District: This is the hub of Austin nightlife and has been dubbed "Dirty Sixth" by locals. There are many bars and restaurants and lots of activity nightly. Sixth Street is closed off to traffic from Thursday through Saturday night to accommodate crowds. Rainey Street District: Rainey Street is a trendy party area with colorful historic homes that have been converted to restaurants and bars. Red River Cultural District: Apparently this is the live music hub and where I should have stayed to check out why Austin is called "The Live Music Capital of the World"! I did love the hotel we stayed at though which I will describe below. Second Street District: This area is known as downtown Austin's shopping hub and is filled with local boutiques and trendy fashion shops. If you are looking for a retail fix, this is your spot! There are several other distinct Districts within the downtown area. I have just highlighted a few of the more popular ones. Check out Austin's Tourism site for a more complete description of all of the areas so you can determine which location is right for you! We stayed at the Driskill Hotel which is the oldest operating hotel in Austin. The Driskill was built in 1886 and, just like the Biltmore in Providence which I talked about here, the Driskill is rumored to be haunted. The incident that is responsible for one of the hauntings apparently happened in a room right down the hall from where we were staying! Alas (or thankfully, depending on your perspective), we did not experience any paranormal activity during our stay. If I keep staying in old, haunted hotels, I am bound to have a ghostly visitor someday! In any event, the Driskill Hotel is a beautiful building with a prime location right on Sixth Street so it is only a few short steps to rowdy nightlife if that's on your agenda. It is also easy walking distance to Congress Street and the Texas State Capitol. I highly recommend The Driskill Hotel! Best Things to Do: Congress Street Bats: This is the most iconic thing to do in Austin. Every night at sunset people gather on or around the Congress Street Bridge to watch millions of bats fly out from beneath the bridge. You can also sign up to take a tour boat out on the water to watch the bat show from below. This actually may be a better spot because the tour operators shine a red light up to the bridge which helps to see the flurry of bat activity more clearly. It was a little anti-climactic because we couldn't see the bats that clearly from the top of the bridge, but we caught glimpses and it is an amazing spectacle nonetheless. And you can't go to Austin and say you didn't see the Congress Street Bats! Added bonus...you can get a great sunset selfie with the Austin skyline in the background. Lady Bird Lake: The Colorado River runs through downtown Austin into Lady Bird Lake ("LBL"). LBL is not a true lake, but a damned portion of the Colorado River. In any event, it is a great outdoor space in the middle of the city where you can kayak, run, walk or bike. Swimming and motorized watercraft are not permitted on the Lake. The Ann and Roy Hike-and-Bike Trail makes a complete loop around LBL. The Trail is 10.1 miles long and mostly flat. Texas State Capitol: Check out the Texas State Capitol and the surrounding grounds. There are free guided tours daily that last between 30 and 45 minutes. You can also pick up a free brochure at the Capitol's north entrance or the Information Desk and do your own self guided tour. University of Texas at Austin: Check out the UT at Austin campus and keep your eye out for Matthew McConaughey or Brene Brown. They both teach classes here! You never know where you may bump into them. UT is proud to claim Matthew McConaughey as their own and even had a Christmas tree devoted just to him in the school bookstore! South Congress Street Shopping ("SoCo"): I mentioned this above when talking about the Congress Street District. It is a great place to spend an afternoon strolling and shopping. It is one of Austin's trendiest neighborhoods and is known for unique independent shops, galleries and vintage stores. For those more mainstream shoppers, the Yeti flagship store is here as well as Reformation and Kendra Scott jewelry. Esther's Follies: Located on Sixth Street, this comedy show has been described as a modern-day vaudeville mixed with political comedy...the "Texas answer to SNL". The windows open up to Sixth Street and the comedians utilize the outside and unsuspecting pedestrians to enhance the show! It usually sells out, so you may want to grab your tickets ahead of time here. Bars on Sixth Street: There are many to choose from and several have some form of entertainment. We stopped in at Pete's Dueling Piano Bar and had a great time singing along to the requested songs. Zilker Metropolitan Park/Barton Springs Pool/Zilker Botanical Garden: A great recreational area to spend the day. There are many park amenities such as picnic areas, volleyball courts, and a nature and science center. One of the premier features of the park is Barton Springs Pool which is a natural spring fed pool with year round average water temperature of 68 degrees. The Zilker Botanical Gardens are also nearby and provide a relaxing escape from the bustling city. Best Places to Eat: Jo's Coffee: As the intro to this blog suggests, Breakfast Tacos are a must have when visiting Austin and Jo's Coffee is a quintessential place to try them out. Jo's has a variety of breakfast tacos and coffee drinks, as well as burgers, sandwiches/wraps, salads and alcoholic drinks. Check out Jo's menu here. Cooper's Old Time Pit BBQ: Another thing you have to eat when in Texas is good ol' BBQ! There are many BBQ places to pick from and I am sure they are all fantastic. We went to Cooper's Old Time Pit BBQ and really enjoyed the vibe and the food! Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill: The motto for Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill is "Bootlegged & Bountiful" and you gotta love any place with a motto like that! Their website says they serve "Classic American Comfort Food" and I can attest to that. The vibe in the restaurant was really cool and the food was delicious! We left stuffed...uncomfortably so. This restaurant is always packed so reservations are a good idea. 1886 Cafe & Bakery: This quaint Victorian-style cafe is attached to the Driskill Hotel. They are open until 2 pm and for breakfast and lunch. They serve traditional Texas comfort food made with time-honored recipes. They also use locally sourced ingredients. We had a delicious breakfast there one morning before heading out to explore Austin. Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream: Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream is an incredible ice cream store with its flagship Austin shop right in SoCo. They have really unique flavors such as Everything Bagel, Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flakes, Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Gooey Butter Cake, and Brambleberry Crisp. You definitely need to stop here for refreshment after an afternoon of shopping in SoCo!. If you look around your upscale grocery stores you might find it in your area! I recently discovered it here in Saratoga Springs (although not sure if that's a good thing). It is a bit pricier, but once you taste it you will realize it is worth every penny! Austin Eastciders Cider: This last item isn't a place, it is a local hard cider that must be tried if you are a fan of ciders. I had the Blackberry Cider and it was amazing! Conclusion: All in all, even though I personally don't think Austin competes with Nashville as the "Live Music Capital of the World", it is a very fun place to visit with lots to see, lots to do and a lot of delicious food to eat. I highly recommend a visit to Austin to check out the Bats, BBQ, and Breakfast Tacos! If you venture to Austin, you should definitely combine it with a visit to San Antonio! San Antonio is only about an hour and a half drive away with some really cool stops in between. Check out my Best of San Antonio blog for tips on the best places to stay, the best things to do and the best places to eat in San Antonio. Y'all come back, ya hear?

If you are a middle-aged person (or just a connoisseur of good music), you may be aware of a song titled "Bittersweet" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters. I loved this band back in the day and I particularly loved this song. I would belt the lyrics to the chorus from the top of my lungs whenever it came on. "It's bittersweet. More sweet than bitter, bitter than sweet. It's a bittersweet surrender." I didn't realize the wisdom of these words at the time, but have come to realize that they describe most of life's experiences. But not only that, as the song indicates, it is necessary to surrender to both sides of the bittersweet feeling in order to live a full beautiful life. I had the opportunity to really explore this topic during the past week as the universe bombarded me with examples of how the bitter and sweet of life play out. My week started with a phone call from Taylor, my youngest, who will be graduating from college in May. She was expressing her feelings about being ready to be done with college and move on to the next phase of her life, but she also felt sad about leaving college behind and wondering if she had fully taken advantage of the experience. I told her that her such a mixture of feelings is quite normal whenever we experience a transition in our life. But do we really ever stop to think about the duality of what we are feeling? The mixture of happy and sad feelings is unsettling. If we feel sad about leaving something behind, we may question if we are genuinely happy about what is coming next. This is uncomfortable so we generally just ignore the sad and focus on the happy. The second bittersweet message came to me at a yoga class the following day when the instructor advised that the mantra for the class was "It is like this AND also like this." She was talking about paying attention to how our bodies were feeling in particular poses and note that a pose can feel challenging to one part of our body, but also be relaxing and calming to another part. Again, a juxtaposition of two distinctly different feelings at the same moment. But she also told us that this experience of competing feelings is something we also face in life and we need to learn to observe, acknowledge and embrace all the feelings that arise within us in order to learn and grow from a situation. The final universal nudge came when I was doing my walking meditation and listening to my favorite podcaster Brene Brown's Unlocking Us. Her episode this week featured Susan Cain who is an author and researcher who recently wrote a book entitled Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. During the interview Ms. Cain explained that bittersweetness is a state of longing, poignancy, and sorrow, an acute awareness of passing time; paired with a curiously piercing joy at the beauty of the world. It recognizes that light and dark, birth and death, bitter and sweet, are forever paired. She found that when we are confronted with experiences that have both a bitter and sweet element, we have two choices: Push away and ignore the bitterness, but doing this will most likely cause us to unconsciously inflict or transfer the bitterness to others; OR Accept that pain and joy, or bitter and sweet, go together and experience and feel them both in order to have a whole-hearted life. When there is pain that you can't get rid of, she recommends transforming it to something else as a creative or healing offering to others. Some do this by writing music, creating art, or writing poetry of sad stories. Taking Ms. Cain's advice, this particular blog is my effort to take some of difficult feelings I have experienced lately and create a healing offering. Perhaps my journey exploring bittersweet feelings will offer support or solace to someone going through their own challenging times. You are not alone in your struggles and should not feel guilty when you feel pain or sorrow in the midst of an otherwise joyous experience. It is a part of life's journey. One thing that became obvious to me in thinking about all of these messages I received this week, is that I am guilty of trying to avoid the bitterness and pain that should be a part of my life experience. Even though I think I am emotionally in touch, I frequently try to rush through the difficult parts. For instance, my instinct when my daughters share bittersweet feelings with me is to jump in and make it better. I focus on the positive feelings and while I acknowledge the validity of the sadness, I definitely downplay the negative side of the situation. I believe this is the tendency most people have as experiencing sad feelings is uncomfortable and generally seen as something to be avoided at all costs. This brushing past the hard part is Standard Operating Procedure in handling my own feelings as well. I do not ignore or suppress the difficult feelings, but I definitely try to expedite the handling of them. (Pro tip: This is not possible-it will take as long as it takes. Learned this the hard way!) During the past year, I have tried to rush and force my way through the emotional processing of my divorce and get to a point of being "OK". I frequently told people I was "fine" (which my therapist said really stands for "Fucked Up, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional"...pretty accurate.) I thought if I acknowledged that I still felt pain or sorrow that would mean I wasn't over it and wasn't moving on properly. To be honest, I really did feel "fine" most times, but then something small would trigger a large emotional response clearly indicating that the pain and sadness had not been fully acknowledged and released. I now see that this "toxic positivity" is not helpful nor is it beneficial to really experiencing joy. In this increasingly binary world, we feel like we need to identify and put a label on each situation as "happy", "sad", "exciting", "frustrating", etc. Often times experiences do not lend themselves to such an easy description. We do not have to feel one way to the exclusion of the other. We do not have to be absent of pain or sadness in order to feel happy. As my yoga teacher said "It is like this AND also like this." Moving forward, I will embrace experiencing bittersweet emotions. Getting divorced obviously involves many sad feelings. Loss of an important person in your life, loss of the future you had planned, disruption to the family unit and extended family relationships that have been built over the years, painful memories of past good times, new difficult situations, and a destruction of the foundation you had built your life on. However, these sad feelings do not take away from the many positive feelings that I have as well. I have created a new vision of my life that I am excited about, I have met many new people I would never have known if my life had continued on the same path, I have experienced tremendous self growth and empowerment and have reconnected with the inner spark I had lost along the way. I love the part-time job I have selling jewelry in my retirement. I learned that I am good at selling and actually really enjoy accessorizing with jewelry. My life now has freedom to consider possibilities that were closed to me before. Will I move back to San Diego to live my later years by the ocean and in the incredible weather I enjoyed when I was in law school? Maybe! Or will I return to my childhood home of Colorado? Perhaps! I am the captain of this ship and can steer it whichever way I feel inspired to go and that is joyful and exciting. But for the time being, the sad feelings still co-exist with the happy ones. And that's ok. It is my belief that the joy in our bittersweet moments cannot be fully appreciated unless we also encourage and allow the sad feelings in to provide the context. It is only by realizing and acknowledging what we have lost or what we are letting go of (a period of life, a moment, a person, an experience), that we can be truly free to enjoy what comes next. Embracing bittersweet feelings also encourages us to fully grab the joy in the current moment because we understand that these precious moments are fleeting and they too will pass on our way to new experiences. All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. -Anatole France

Recently I was hanging out with a group of women celebrating National Margarita Day (who knew it was even a thing?). Once we were a few flavored margaritas deep, we began discussing the trials and tribulations of being modern day women at approximately the mid point in our life journey. Otherwise known as middle age. We all had very different life situations, but one thing was clear. We had all spent a majority of our life taking care of other people. We all agreed that we took on this responsibility willingly and with joy. The pride with which we caretake was evident in the passion and depth of emotion we showed when talking about the important people in our lives. The problem with this primary focus on making sure others in our life are properly taken care of, is that we are often last on the list. We run out of steam and time before we have a chance to turn the spotlight on ourselves. Again, most of us don't begrudge this choice and it is just part of being a "mom" and a "wife". However, we all eventually reach a point where the chaos quiets and we are left standing alone with ourselves. This can happen at any time for any number of reasons. All the kids finally leave home. You get divorced or are widowed. You retire or are laid off. A serious medical diagnosis. Or, as in my case, many of these things happen within a short period of time. When life throws you a curveball or the rug is unexpectedly ripped out from under you, it can be overwhelming. After taking time to absorb the shock and feel ALL of the emotions of the experience you are having, it is the perfect time to begin your journey to self discovery. This journey is necessary to rediscover who you really are after all this time, what things truly bring joy to your life, and what kind of life you want to live from this point forward. This journey to self discovery is not for the faint-hearted. It will take some real soul-searching and honest reflection. It may require some difficult decisions. It may necessitate some changes in the way you live your life or the people in it. I began this journey in earnest about a year ago when my marriage of almost 25 years ended. When the future I had planned was no longer a possibility, I had to do some heavy lifting to figure out who I was and what I wanted. I was no longer someone's wife. I was no longer a hands-on, day-to-day mom. I was no longer part of a cohesive family unit. I was no longer a corporate lawyer. Without these labels and these roles, who really was I? I thought back about the person I was before I got married. That person was an individual in her own right with her own distinct dreams and plans. She had an energy about her and an enthusiasm about life that had somehow dimmed along the way. I decided I needed to get back to that person taking along with me the life lessons I had learned over the years. The combination of that energy and enthusiasm with the wisdom I had acquired would be a very powerful one indeed. I am by no means done with my self discovery journey and I honestly believe that it should be one that continues for a lifetime. But I can provide you with some tips that have led me to the happier place I am now. You can use this travel guide whenever you decide to take that journey to your own self-discovery. WHAT TO PACK: Courage-You are going to need courage to take an honest look at yourself and your life and make an assessment of what should stay and what should go. Some changes may be hard if you have really put yourself on the back burner and need to get your mental and physical health back on track. Maybe you haven't set proper boundaries with people in your life and establishing those new limits will be difficult to impose and difficult for others to accept. But it is time to dig deep for that courage and make the changes necessary to rediscover yourself and what is important to you. Vulnerability-This journey will also require you to be vulnerable. Take a close look at mistakes you have made along the way and take responsibility for the role you have played in straying away from your authentic self and the difficulties you have faced. Compassion-After you have done an honest self-assessment, make sure you have compassion for yourself. Forgive yourself for your mistakes and choices along the way. You did the best you could at the time. As Maya Angelou said "When you know better, you do better." Also, have compassion for the people that have hurt you. This doesn't mean you have to allow them to continue hurting you or that you have to accept their behavior, but understand that everyone is just doing the best they can. There may be reasons you aren't aware of that causes someone to make a choice you don't understand. Curiosity-You will need to bring a healthy dose of curiosity on this journey. Spend time really thinking about the things that bring you happiness. What were you doing and who were you with when you think back to times you really felt joyful. What are those things that you have always wanted to do, but were too busy or they seemed impractical. Learn to play an instrument, plan a trip, join a tennis league, volunteer for a cause that is important to you, write a book? Maybe start a blog? :) Also, what kind of lifestyle do you want to lead going forward? What activities and hobbies do you want to incorporate into your everyday life. What about your surroundings? Do they reflect your truest self? Are you happy in the suburbs or do you want a more city vibe? I decided to move from a traditional house in the suburbs to an apartment in Saratoga Springs where I can walk everywhere and there is always something going on. I didn't realize how much I wanted this lifestyle until I actually did it. It brings me great joy. Excitement-This is the most important thing to bring with you. This journey of self discovery is exciting. You will uncover new truths and reveal things about yourself that you may have forgotten. Perhaps your introspection will confirm that you are on the right track with where you are and feel grateful and peaceful with that knowledge. If you discover that the way you are currently living is not in alignment with your authentic self, this is great news! Knowledge is the first step in making changes. You can dig deeper to figure out exactly what changes you want to make and start taking action to create a more fulfilling life. THINGS TO DO TO FIND THAT INNER VOICE Walking-Walking and listening to podcasts is literally one of my favorite things to do and brings me great peace. I go for walks with some of my best friends: Brene Brown (Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead), Glennon Doyle (We Can Do Hard Things) and Oprah Winfrey (Super Soul). These women provide great insight into things that block our happiness and teach us how to become unblocked. Even when I think a podcast isn't going to be particularly interesting or relevant to me, I am always surprised to gain some new knowledge or a different way of thinking about something going on in my life. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my walks and podcasts! Meditation/Journaling-I started a practice of meditating 15 minutes every morning when I wake up. I read the daily entry from Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie and then turn on meditation music and a timer. Focusing on my breath and thinking about the message from the book starts my day in a positive way. I have noticed that my general mood is calmer after starting this meditation practice. Some days I am able to completely relax and zone out, other days I have to constantly push thoughts away. But it is a "practice" that I will keep working on. I honestly don't journal as much as I should, but I can say that when I do it really helps to get all my thoughts out of my head and onto paper. It clarifies things and often helps me to make sense of some of my emotions. I should definitely do this more and it is always recommended as a helpful practice in self discovery so I included it in the travel guide. Yoga-When I do yoga on a consistent basis I am always amazed at the impact it has on my life. My muscles are less tense, my flexibility is good and I feel great! This exercise impacts both mind and body so you get a double whammy! If you notice, the first three things to do all involve some level of stillness or inward focus. It is necessary to quiet the mind of all the useless (and often negative) chatter to hear that soft inner voice that has all the answers for us. Once you start paying attention to it, you will notice that it nudges you when something feels off or not right. If we are not still or quiet enough to pay attention, it gets lost in the chaos. Self Care-For me this is something that definitely got neglected. I have discovered how amazing it feels to really take care of myself. For me this not only means getting exercise (my walking and yoga, as well as a little strength training), but also taking the time to nurture my physical self. If it fits into your budget, getting periodic massages and getting your nails done are small things that reap great rewards. Even if your finances don't allow for those things at the moment, doing self care things for yourself shows that you are worthy of that time and attention. You feel better about yourself when you have taken the time to give yourself the nurturing and care you provide others. I have what I call Self-Care Sunday when I do a face mask, hair mask, slather on some extra lotion and put on my coziest sweatpants and read a good book or watch a show I enjoy. It is rejuvenating and re-energizing after all that self-discovery work. Therapy-I cannot overstate the importance of being able to talk to a neutral third party that can provide fresh insight or lead you down your path of self discovery. Talking to my therapist I have discovered things that were impacting my choices and decisions that I wasn't even aware of. Having this insight or knowing where you may have some work to do to clear up some feelings is invaluable in getting to your authentic and wholehearted self. THINGS YOU CAN SKIP ON THIS JOURNEY Self Pity-It is very easy to get stuck feeling sorry for yourself when things don't go as planned or someone disappoints you. However, in order to find your joy, you cannot stay in this place. The one constant in everyone's life is change so you have to realize that these things happen. If the pandemic has taught us anything it is that we truly don't have any control over things so we just need to go along for the ride. When something happens that disrupts our life, we need to Shake It Off (in the words of Taylor Swift) and look at it as a directional pointing us toward a better path. Negative Energy-When bad things happen, which is usually why we set off on this journey of self-discovery, it is easy to become pessimistic and focus on everything that went off track or how people did us wrong. There is some benefit to spending a little time in this space to learn the lesson it can provide and to make different choices the next time. Once you have made that assessment, it is time to move forward and pull out that curiosity and excitement you packed to bring on this journey. Positive attracts positive. A good mood and good energy will bring good things into your life. This also applies to the people you surround yourself with. Make sure those closest to you are supportive of this journey of self discovery and are encouraging of your efforts to find joy. Numbing-As hard as some of this self-reflection is, it may be tempting to numb any hard emotions you are having with busyness, excessive activities, alcohol/drugs, sex, shopping, or any other things that distract you from your feelings. Not feeling those uncomfortable feelings will inhibit the growth that comes from dealing with the truth of what you are discovering. Numbing is only temporary and can actually cause more heartache and disruption in the long run. Dating Apps-If your journey to self discovery finds you traveling solo, take the time to learn to be by yourself. You may think getting back out there and finding someone to fill your time with will make you feel better. It might temporarily, but it can be just another form of numbing. It is important to focus on yourself during this journey so you don't get confused by the voice of someone else when you are trying to figure out what YOU want. This journey takes a lot of time and energy and you will be a more attractive partner when you are finally in your own power and living your most authentic life. You will also attract someone who is aligned with your discovered (or re-discovered values) and that will lead to a stronger more authentic connection. Looking back at the past year, I realize that I was in no place to put myself out there and use my energy to get to know someone else until just recently. I am finally at a place where the thought of possibly meeting someone new is interesting, but I am also so enlightened by my journey that I don't NEED it. That feels like the best place to be for me. By following this travel guide in my own journey to self-discovery, I have learned many things about myself. I am feeling empowered by my independence and am happy with the choices I have made after really thinking about what I want this second half of my life to look like. It has been painful, difficult, eye-opening, humbling, joyful, exciting, unexpected and adventurous. I still don't have a complete picture of where this journey will take me, but I know for certain I am heading in the right direction. As the famous quote from Wizard of Oz says, I have always had the power, but I just had to figure that out for myself!

A drive along the California coast on Highway 1, known as the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), is an awe-inspiring journey that everyone should do at least once! The PCH runs from San Diego all the way to Washington State, but if you don't have time to do the whole thing you will still be amazed by the views of any portion you choose to do. One of the most famous sections of the PCH is the part between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Along this route you can see the famous Big Sur area and cruise through a number of awesome California coastal towns. This is the journey my friend and I took on a recent girls' trip to California. I will give you our itinerary as a starting point, but you can easily add many more stops or spend more time in some of the areas if you have the time. You can also eliminate some of our diversions if you don't have a full10 days or if you want to make it all the way down to San Diego on your epic California coastal journey. Day One-San Francisco You can view my previous post on our whirlwind day in San Francisco here. This is definitely a place where you can add more time if you have it. If not, use our plan to see as much of San Francisco as you can in ONE day! Days Two and Three-Napa and Sonoma Valley This was actually one of my favorite parts of the trip! View my previous blog post about my magical experience in California Wine Country here. Napa and Sonoma Valley aren't actually on the coast, but we wanted to make sure we could spend some time wine tasting before heading down the PCH and we are so glad we did! Day Four-Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz and the 17 Mile Drive from Monterey to Carmel-by-the-Sea My friend and I are extreme planners, but on this trip we decided to go outside our comfort zone and try to "wing it" with hotels after we left Sonoma Valley. This new approach didn't last long once we tried to find accommodations along the coast in the summertime, especially during the post-COVID vacation boom. We couldn't find anywhere along our planned coastal journey to stay on Saturday night, so we grabbed the only room we could find in Emeryville located across the Bay from San Francisco by Berkeley. Even though it wasn't exactly on our agenda, it was a very nice hotel and gave us a comfortable place to rejuvenate after all the wine-tasting of the previous two days. Half Moon Bay: We got up early the next day and headed back over to the coast to hop on the PCH down to Half Moon Bay. I always think of the band Train when hear about Half Moon Bay and if you are a Train fan you know what I mean. We stopped at the well-known Barbara's Fish Trap ( www.barbarasfishtrap.com ) for an early lunch. I am not a big seafood fan, but the crab cakes were delicious! TRAVELER TIP: Bring cash because they don't accept credit cards and go early because a long line will form and there aren't a ton of tables. We also saw long lines at Sam's Chowderhouse down the road, so if you can't get into Barbara's Fish Trap for your seafood fix this looks like a good alternative. After lunch we drove down the coast to Waddell State Beach to watch all of the surfers and kite surfers. If I was younger and more adventurous I would definitely try kite surfing because it looks awesome! Santa Cruz: From Half Moon Bay we drove south on the PCH to Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is a cute little beach town with a boardwalk and some beautiful cliffside walkways to take in the surrounding scenery. We parked on the street near the Natural Bridges State Beach and then walked along the West Cliff Drive scenic pathway that hugs the coastline. The pathway provides breathtaking views of Monterey Bay. If you want, you can walk the pathway all the way to the Santa Cruz wharf. It is generally flat so it is a very easy walk for everyone and you can go for as long (or as short) as you want. We didn't visit the wharf while we were there because it was a Saturday and it was extremely crowded, but it looked like a fun place! The Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=546 ) is also in Santa Cruz and is a great place to see California Redwoods. There is a vehicle day use fee of $10, with discounts for seniors and larger fees for tour buses. The Park is nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains and has 15 miles of hiking and biking trails. There is an easy walking loop that takes you through a grove of old-growth Redwood trees with the tallest tree towering 285 into the air and measuring 16 feet wide! The oldest trees in the grove are 1,800 years old. 17 Mile Drive from Monterey to Carmel-by-the-Sea: Heading south on the PCH, you will find an entrance to the beautiful 17-Mile scenic drive from Monterey to Carmel-by-the-Sea. There are three other entrances so depending on where you are coming from another entrance may be more easily accessible. There is a $10.75 fee per vehicle to enter the 17-Mile drive and once you enter you will follow a map through several points of interest, forested areas, coastline views, beautiful mansions, and famous golf courses including the world-renowned Pebble Beach golf course. Depending on how long you linger at the various points of interest or scenic overlooks, the drive could take up to 3 hours. If you are heading south on the 17-Mile scenic drive you will end up right at Carmel-by-the-Sea which is where we planned to stay for the next three nights. Day 5-Carmel-by-the-Sea, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Monterey and Big Sur As I mentioned above, our well-intentioned plan of "winging it" on our California road trip didn't work so well. So much for us trying to be more relaxed about our travel planning! When we discovered that we were going to have trouble finding reasonably priced hotel rooms along our route, we got right to work planning out our accommodations for the rest of our journey. We decided to stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea for three nights as it was centrally located to many of the sites we wanted to see. It was actually kind of nice to have a home base for a few days and not have to pack up and move every morning. I guess Ann and I are not the relaxed, "go with the flow" travelers we had hoped to be! But it all worked out in the end and the moral of the story is that we are going to continue with our natural state of being super planners. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve: We started our day with a beautiful six mile hike at the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. The Reserve is just a mile or so south of Carmel right off the PCH. You can see my more detailed blog about visiting this "Crown Jewel" of the California State Park System here. Carmel-by-the-Sea: After our hike, we stopped in downtown Carmel for some lunch and shopping. There are several excellent restaurants in downtown Carmel, it just depends on what you are in the mood for. We ate at the Mission Bistro (https://missionbistrocarmel.com ) right in the middle of the downtown area. I had a Burrata Salad with grilled chicken that really hit the spot after our morning hike! The shopping in downtown Carmel is equally as satisfying with many exclusive shops and boutiques to find whatever you may be looking for or discover that thing that you didn't even know you needed! Monterey: Next we drove north on the PCH back to Monterey to check out some of its highlights, including spots made famous by HBO's hit show "Big Little Lies". We drove through Cannery Row, a cute little shopping area in the area's old cannery buildings. It looks like there are mostly touristy shops in Cannery Row as opposed to the boutique shopping in the downtown Carmel area. After cruising through Cannery Row, we set off to scope out the various location shots from Big Little Lies. First stop was the Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey (not to be confused with the giant tourist attraction Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco). There we ate at Palace Trattoria which served as the set for Blue Blue's Cafe, the quaint coffee shop overlooking the harbor where the main characters met to drink coffee and spill tea. Apparently the restaurant has been mobbed with BLL fans since the show aired so they can sit at an outside table and share their own gossip. Of course Ann and I had to do the same and get a picture! Next stop was to Lover's Point Beach in Pacific Grove where we learned that the Blissful Drip coffee shop from BLL didn't actually exist but was a set constructed at the Lover's Point Beach. The set is long gone, but we snagged a picture at the Beach anyway. The final BLL location to scout was the Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur so we headed south on the PCH to check it out. Big Sur: From watching Big Little Lies, I was under the impression that Big Sur referred to a beach town along the California coast. While there is a small unincorporated village with a collection of small roadside businesses and homes called Big Sur, when you hear someone talking about Big Sur they are most likely referring to the rugged stretch of California coast between Carmel and San Simeon. It is bordered to the east by the Santa Lucia Mountains and the west by the Pacific Ocean. You travel through the area by the narrow 2-lane PCH. Hold on as you take sharp turns, veer toward seaside cliffs and try to take in the spectacular views of the coastline. It is not for the faint-hearted...just ask Ann who got very nervous as I drove the winding road. It is totally worth braving the journey as it is some of the most picturesque scenery in the world. The opening credits of Big Little Lies shows just a glimpse of what it is like driving over the Bixby Creek Bridge. Day 6-Capitola City Beach, Ragged Point and Morro Bay Capitola City Beach: We headed back north to the northern end of Monterey Bay to the Capitola City Beach. This a small urban beach known for the bright, colored hotel rooms built right on the sand that offer a beautiful backdrop to the beach. There are several shops and restaurants along the Esplanade right by the beach. We ate at the Margaritaville restaurant that sits right on the beach looking out at the ocean and the colorful buildings. Ragged Point: We then headed back southbound on PCH and drove along the Big Sur coastline again (once is not enough!) until we got to the south end of Big Sur. There we pulled off at the PIedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery which is home to more than 7,000 Northern Elephant Seals which are the second largest seals in existence. You can see the stats on the picture above! Morro Bay: Next stop...Morro Bay! Morro Bay is a quaint little village right off the PCH. It is known for a large volcanic mound at the end of Morro State Beach called...what else...Morro Rock. Morro Rock is 576 feet tall and is the dominating feature of the town. There are several eateries along the harbor if you want to make this a lunch stop on your road trip! Day 7-San Luis Obispo After Morro Bay we headed to San Luis Obispo (or SLO as the locals call it) to crash for the night. We stayed in a charming family owned hotel called the Apple Farm Inn (www.applefarm.com). The Inn has 106 unique and charming rooms and is centrally located for easy access to SLO's many sights. After we dropped off our bags, we headed over to Avila Beach to relax from our travels and catch a few rays. That night we strolled along the bustling Higuera Street to check out the shops. I made several purchases at an adorable store called The Junkgirls (www.junkgirls.com) which was filled with unique and handcrafted gift and decor items. I highly recommend a stop here! Off Higuera Street is the infamous Bubblegum Alley where pieces of chewed gum cover the walls (see pic below). Gross or cool? Only you can decide. Other sites in SLO we didn't get a chance to check out are various wineries, the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (a 1700s Spanish mission with a museum), the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus, and of course nearby beaches and hiking trails. SLO has a very cool vibe and I wish we could have spent a little more time checking it out! Day 8-Solvang and Santa Barbara Solvang: After a restful night sleep at the charming Apple Farm Inn, we hit the road to head to a spot a little inland from the PCH. Ann had done some research and suggested we check out Solvang, a small city in the Santa Ynez Valley known for its Danish architecture and wineries. We are so glad we took this side trip! Solvang, which is Danish for "sunny fields", is an adorable destination known as the "Danish Capital of the World". You may recognize the name as it has been featured or mentioned in several different TV shows or movies. Most notably it was the setting for the movie Sideways starring Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church as two men traveling through the Santa Barbara wine country. They stay at the Hitching Post so we had to snag a picture of that landmark! You feel as if you have been transported to a European village as soon as you enter the Main Street that goes through the middle of town. You can take a leisurely stroll down Main Street and take in all of the shops that fill every nook and cranny of the buildings lining the street. Of course you can't leave Solvang without trying some of the delicious danishes that can be purchased at any of authentic Danish bakeries in the area. We also hit the Sunstone Winery, a Santa Ynez Valley winery, on our way out of town. What a great day...Solvang was definitely one of my favorite stops on this trip! Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara is a short 45 minute drive from Solvang and where we planned to stop for the night. We stayed at The Eagle Inn ( www.theeagleinn.com ) and I highly recommend it. It has a perfect central location and a delicious free breakfast in the morning. After checking in we strolled along the harbor and checked out the city. Santa Barbara has a great vibe and is a place I would even consider living! The lively downtown features an outdoor shopping area that runs along State Street with tiled courtyards, fountains, chain retailers and small boutiques. Artwork is sprinkled around the town including bronze statues and wall murals. There are several hip cafes and outdoor restaurants, breweries and wine bars. We ate at a brewery called The Cruisery located at 501 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA ( www.thecruisery.com ) which gets its name from "Brewery + Beach Cruiser = Cruisery". The Cruisery has an awesome outdoor eating space to provide for entertaining people watching in the historic downtown area while we relaxed with good food and drinks. After dinner we took in more sites and caught a beautiful sunset over the harbor to cap off an incredible day! Day 9-Ojai and Santa Monica Ojai: Ann suggested we take another detour off of the PCH to check out Ojai (pronounced "OH-hi") which is a small city in Ventura County located in the valley of the Topatopa Mountains. Ojai sits in one of the few east/west valleys so the early morning sunrise fills the valley with sunshine and the late sunsets create a "Pink Moment" painting the surrounding peaks in rosy hues. There is a strong Bohemian vibe to the city and spirituality is a big part of the culture. Apparently the valley lies in a geomagnetic vortex zone where energy fields arise from deep within the earth's core and visitors come to visit the many wellness retreats and meditation centers. The restaurants and cafes in Ojai are all locally owned and serve artisan food using local organic produce. The views driving into the valley were stunning. We parked at the head of a hiking trail that took us up above the city looking down into the valley. (SIDE STORY: I didn't see the sign advising not to leave ANY valuables in the car due to high theft and left my purse in the car. When Ann mentioned the sign I freaked out and rushed to get back to the car so I didn't fully enjoy the hike and the beautiful views. So, travel tip...make sure to read all warning signs and take any valuables with you if you hike so you can leisurely enjoy the beauty surrounding you!). After the hike and heart-racing return to the car, we stopped in town to have a quick drink at the Topa Topa Brewery. I had a hard Kombucha which was very tasty and made me feel a little healthy while drinking. Santa Monica: Feeling calm and restored after our visit to Ojai, we headed to Santa Monica where we planned to stay for our last night before flying out of LAX the next day. In all honesty, Santa Monica didn't feel particularly relaxing or safe. We walked around and checked out the famous (or infamous) Santa Monica Pier. It felt like something we had to do, but it wasn't really our scene. Lots of typical boardwalk food and the traditional boardwalk rides and games. We came, we saw and we quickly left. From there we walked over to the Third Street Promenade which is a three block car-free, open air shopping area. We strolled up and down the street and checked out the Santa Monica Place mall located at the south end of the Third Street Promenade. While it was nice enough, there is nothing especially noteworthy or unique about this area. We were getting travel weary from our epic 10-day long journey, so we returned to the hotel room to rest up for our long journey home the next day. The next morning we got up early to walk along the ocean and it became clear why so many people look fit and healthy in California. The beach volleyball courts were already packed, the boardwalk was filled with runners, walkers and roller bladers, various exercises classes were being held up and down the boardwalk and beach including HIIT and Spin classes. It would be so awesome to take a spin class on the beach looking out at the Pacific Ocean! New experience for my bucket list. Day 10-Hollywood, Beverly Hills/Rodeo Drive and HOME! After our early morning walk in Santa Monica, we jumped in the car and drove towards LA. Even though I lived in San Diego for several years and frequently took day trips to LA and surrounding areas, I had NEVER seen the Hollywood sign in person so that was on my agenda. We first went to the most popular viewing spot in Griffith Park. Griffith Park is one of the nation's largest urban green spaces (5 times the size of New York's Central Park!). There are several hiking trails up to the Griffith Observatory that has a great view of the Hollywood sign. You can also drive up to the Observatory, but this spot is EXTREMELY crowded and parking is difficult if not impossible. Since we had limited time and were not prepared to hike, we needed to find an alternative viewing spot. With the help of Google and Ann's stellar research, we found that there is a lesser known viewing spot from Lake Hollywood Park. To get there you drive through a residential neighborhood up a steep, hilly road. You will know once you get there because although not the most popular, it is still crowded. Snag the first parking spot you can find and walk over to the park for a perfect viewing spot! After all this time I finally can check this sight off my "to do" list. Before leaving California, we stopped at the iconic In-N-Out Burger one last time. Can't visit California without stopping at least once. Delicious and inexpensive! After lunch we drove around Beverly HIlls and stopped to walk on Rodeo Drive. The 90210 zip code has a reputation for a reason. The streets are beautiful and the homes are amazing. Rodeo Drive is crazy and it kept bringing up "Pretty Woman" vibes for me. I wanted to go into a shop and say "Big mistake! Big! Huge!", but unfortunately wasn't planning to go in and drop a load of cash shopping. Since shopping on Rodeo Drive wasn't in our budget, we wrapped up our sightseeing and headed to the airport to catch our flight home. CONCLUSION This was an amazing journey that cannot be completely captured by words and pictures. However, I hope that by sharing some highlights from our trip you will be inspired to plan your own California Coast road trip. I felt like I got to do it twice...first in person and then by reliving it when creating this blog post. Both times I felt awed, overwhelmed and grateful for the experience. If you have had your own amazing California Coast trip, please comment with additional input and ideas for those currently planning their epic adventure! Let's go!

Just a head's up, this post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend places or experiences that I have personally vetted...I got you covered! On a recent weekend trip to Providence, Rhode Island, I thought I was going to have an unexpected need for Bill Murray and his crew of Ghostbusters! I was in town with my daughter Madison and my niece Sophie to attend a bridal shower for another niece, Sarah. We planned to go the night before the shower so I booked a room at the Graduate by Hilton Providence right in the center of the downtown area. The hotel used to be the famous Biltmore Hotel and is on the National Register of Historic Places (it was added in 1977), so I thought it would be cool to experience a little bit of Providence's history. The hotel was originally built in 1922 and has been through many ups and downs (as well as many different owners) over the years. Most recently it was purchased in 2017, renovated and renamed the Graduate Providence as part of a boutique chain of "Graduate" hotels in college towns across the US. Although it has been renamed, the iconic "Biltmore" sign still sits atop the building in a nod to its' historic landmark status. When we arrived, I left Madison and Sophie in the car while I went to check in. I entered the beautifully designed Art Deco lobby to get our room keys. As I said, the new owner has a chain of "Graduate" hotels in various college towns that pay homage to the history of the local colleges and universities and celebrate the famous students from the nearby schools. The room keys are designed as the Student IDs of these celebrity students. We got three "graduate" keys: David Byrne (of the Talking Heads) who went to the Rhode Island School of Design during the 1970-71 term; Kara Walker (an American contemporary artist) who got her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1994; and Andre Leon Talley (an American fashion journalist and former creative director and American editor-at-large of Vogue magazine) who got his Masters of Art degree from Brown University in 1972. After checking in, I went out to grab Madison and Sophie and our bags. As we entered the beautifully appointed lobby, Madison immediately said "This hotel reminds me of one in American Horror Story! I swear this place is haunted!". Sophie and I nervously laughed off her premonition and proceeded to admire the exquisite decor and interesting architecture. When we got to our room, Madison Googled the hotel on her phone and exclaimed "OMG! It IS haunted!". She then filled us in on the spooky details of the hotel's history. The construction of the hotel in 1922 was financed by Johan Leisse Weisskopf, who was a rumored Satanist. He apparently wanted to create a location where he could educate others on the basics of Satanism. At his instruction, the hotel was built with unusual features such as chicken coops on the rooftop which were rumored to keep chickens to be used for sacrifices in Satanic ceremonies. (However, some say these coops were installed to keep chickens and ducks to offer diners fresh, local fare at the prestigious hotel.) He also dug hot springs in the basement supposedly for purification ceremonies. Additionally, during the Prohibition Era, the Biltmore's basement operated as a speakeasy frequented by mobsters and several related murders occurred during that time. This sordid history has given the hotel a reputation as a haunted establishment. Ghost hunters have used advanced equipment to record high levels of paranormal activity at the hotel. Various hotel guests over the years have reported mysterious happenings such as seeing ghostly apparitions in the hallways, unexplained doors slamming and hearing loud parties with clinking glasses and laughing with no actual source. One of the main ghosts reported to occupy the hotel is a financier who lost all of his money in the stock market crash of 1929. He was staying in a room at the Biltmore on the 14th floor when he received the devastating news and was so distraught he threw himself out of the window. Guests of the hotel have reported seeing someone fall past their window on lower floors but there is no body when they look out the window to check. If you google "Biltmore Providence Haunted" you can find many other recounts of guest's spooky experiences while staying at the hotel. True to Madison's intuition, the hotel was named "America's Most Haunted Hotel" in 2000. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it), we did not experience any supernatural occurrences during our stay. What we did experience was a very beautiful hotel with a unique theme and interesting decor. The rooms continued the local "graduate" theme with a mural of black and white photos of famous students of the nearby schools. The sitting room had a "library" feel keeping with the college vibe. The titles of the books on the painted wall were creative and entertaining. Although we didn't have a lot of time to explore other parts of Providence on this trip, the hotel had a great central location close to many of the attractions in the area. I would definitely stay at the Graduate Providence again when I return to Rhode Island to explore Providence and nearby Newport (hopefully soon!). If you are looking for the full on ghoulish experience, it would be a GREAT place to stay for a creepy Halloween getaway! Book your own stay here. Maybe you will get to meet some of the hotel's more "permanent" guests...if you're lucky!