During the first week of April, we took a road trip up the coast.

I’m not sure where to begin. Do I tell you the basic facts? Like that we were gone for 10 days, and we drove for 1500 miles. That we passed through Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Fransisco, Fort Bragg, Bandon, Portland and Seattle. That we rented a car for the drive up, and then flew our way back down.

Or if I tell you about the more abstract things.

Like the azure blue coastline that stole my heart. The watercolor sunsets that literally took my breath away. The rainy cab ride and the late night pizza in SF; the crackling fireplace in Big Sur. The trees that made you feel insignificantly small, that blocked out the sun and made the highway dark. The random running up sand dunes, and photobooth pictures, the food (THE FOOD!!), the late night walks, coffee shop music on the radio, standing under cherry blossoms that fell like rain.

The way the ocean sounds when you’re standing next to someone you love? The way you can laugh until you cannot breathe? Talk about anything or simply sit contently in silence?

In a way, there are no words. But luckily… there are pictures :)

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day 1 & 2 – santa barbara | big sur | monterey | san francisco

Freebirds – Santa Barbara, CA

Glen Oaks, Big Sur, CA – I knew we had to stay here the moment I saw the website. I petitioned to Barrie that I would be prepared to stay at a Motel 6 EVERY OTHER STOP of the trip if it meant we could stay here one night (luckily that didn’t end up being the case). They have a bunch of little cozy cabins, decked out in the cutest mid-century inspired decor. There are no TVs in the room, but there is your own personal patio, a modern fireplace, board games, yoga mats, even heated floors in the bathroom! (!!! It’s the little things.) This was the absolute perfect stop for our first night of our trip.

Crepes – Monterey, CA

Bar Crudo – San Francisco, CA

That’s only the first two days! Up next – more of my beloved San Francisco, gorgeous forests in northern California, and into the Pacific Northwest!

“When I was ten years old, my father and I took a trip to Paris, leaving my younger brother and mother in London where she was filming a movie…We went to the Pompidou museum, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre – the usual spots. On the plane back to London he asked me if I knew why we had gone, just he and I, to Paris for the weekend. I said no, but I felt so lucky for the trip. He said, ‘I wanted you to see Paris for the first time with a man who would always love you, no matter what.'” – gwyneth paltrow

The city I was most excited to visit on this Europe trip was Paris. I had some spotty memories from trips there when I was younger, but half of these were based off of photographs and recollections my parents shared. Happily, it turned out to be my most favorite city on the trip. Paris is not romanticized and exaggerated in the least. It is just as gorgeous as the photos you see in magazines. It is just as stunning as described in books. It is just as ridiculously classy and lovely and romantic as the movies. It is everything everyone raves about, and truly one of the most magical places I have ever been.

And it is not just the buildings,
and the museums,
the corner cafes,
the tree-lined promenades,
the chocolate mousse –
it is also the people.

I’ve always maintained this opinion, even before the trip, but I’d like to confirm again – I never found French people to be rude in the least. From literally the moment we stepped off the train, everyone was warm, friendly, helpful, polite. An old woman at the station smiled at us and asked us where we were from and about our trip so far, a girl in the subway stopped to ask if we needed directions as we stared bewildered at a map, every server we had was cheerful & patient and just as great as the food they were serving (AND OH WAS IT GREAT), even on the plane ride home, the elderly French couple next to me were so sweet & friendly even with their limited English and my even more limited French. It warmed my heart :)

On an added note, I swear even the light is prettier in Paris, is it not?

hello 2012.

i’m excited for you.

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