Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, California is two miles down a mostly one lane road. As you might imagine, during the summer it can be a frightening proposition. It also is one of the windiest spot with sand that buffets your face…nature’s idea of dermabrasion! All this aside, it is the beach made famous in the iconic Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton movie, The Sandpiper. When the crowds are gone, it can actually take your breath away with its sheer beauty. On…
Being an optimist doesn’t mean I always think things are rosy. Two weeks of a giant wildfire terrorizing your community and neighboring towns clearly isn’t a good thing. But acknowledging the fear (yes, there was a lot of fear and worry), and then trying not to dwell on something I couldn’t change was a daily struggle. I tried to see the bigger picture. I saw tremendous acts of caring and giving from people just wanting to help. And don’t even…
I love sharing inspiring Instagram accounts and honestly, there are so many, I don’t think I will ever be at a loss to find them! The gorgeous feature photo belongs to the talented Paige Thornton (paige_r.thornton) I’m in love with her entire home but especially the kitchen! Paige lives in a stunning Alabama farmhouse that she remodeled and was recently featured in Country Living Magazine. Do yourself a favor and take a gander. I know you will love her and her home…
What a crazy, fun filled few days I had with my daughter in Big Sur. We were celebrating her birthday but needed no excuse to explore this amazing part of our country. Most often we stay two nights at my brother-in-laws ranch, and with such limited time we tend to stay close by. With 385 acres to wander, we are never bored. But with the gift of four nights, we expanded our horizons to some new places, and of course a few of…
When your daughter is turning 25 (how the heck did that happen?!) and asks if you want to celebrate her birthday in the most breathtaking place on the planet for a few days, you start packing! Goodbye Santa Barbara and hello Big Sur! We are on the road and with limited wi-fi, so I will leave you with this photo. And no judgements if some or all of these are consumed during our visit…compliments of our last Big Sur Bakery…
Big Sur has been the subject of many books and movies, as well as countless poems expounding on its beauty. To me it’s a place like no other. It’s a deeply personal and spiritual experience. It is nature at its most glorious and no matter how many times I go back, it takes my breath away as if seeing it for the first time. Big Sur is impossible to describe. The most incredible photograph can’t capture how small I feel…
30 years ago, when I was fresh out of college and my sister had just graduated high school, we embarked on a month long, 11 country tour of Europe, with a group of about 40 other young explorers. It seems cliche to say that it was the trip of a lifetime- but it truly was! From London, Paris, Italy, Greece and points in between, there was so much to see, learn, and absorb. As magical as the trip was, it…
I grew up in a family of six. We took yearly vacations from our home in New Jersey, usually to Florida. We always drove and would often leave in the middle of the night and drive straight through. I still remember the excitement of laying out our new vacation outfits and waiting to be woken up to start our adventure. We would pile into the station wagon and sleep for the first part of the trip. Then there would be short…