Honeymoon: LA

September 17, 2014September 4, 2014Leave a comment

Ian and I started our day by saying goodbye to Santa Barbra. Our plan was to eat lunch in Malibu and walk along the Santa Monica pier. However, in true road trip fashion our plans were thrown out the window and somehow we ended up in Beverly Hills. I had heard Milk served macaroon ice cream sandwiches and I was sold. I had to get my hands on one.

At the mention of ice cream, Ian was on board. By some miracle, we found parking and beat the Beverly Hills Dance Mom’s rush to the ice cream shop. (Seriously, the place was full of mom’s taking their daughters out for ice cream after dance practice.)

The ice cream sandwich did not disappoint and as we walked to the car we caught a glimpse of the Hollywood sign. Naturally, we wanted to get a better look and googled a look out point. Sneaky Google lead us to the parking ramp near Hollywood Blvd and we decided to just go with the flow. We got decent photos of the Hollywood sign and as a bonus walked down the Star studded road.

Ian and I ended the night reflecting over our unforgettable road trip. Each day brought new struggles and adventures – making it one of the most memorable trips of my life.

Thank you for coming along this journey with us!

Honeymoon: Solvang

September 16, 2014September 4, 2014Leave a comment

When we were at Hearst Castle I saw a bus advertisement for Solvang, a cute Scandinavian style town nestled in Santa Barbara County. At first, I wanted to visit the town to purchase kringle, but I quickly fell in love with every aspect of Solvang. Each building in their downtown was constructed in true Scandinavian style. It was quite a sight!

Ian and I spent the afternoon walking through the town, popping in to boutiques, and snacking on samples at the local farmer’s market. The main square was hosting a live band, so we ended the evening by grabbing some ice cream and relaxing in the park.

Stay tuned for the final Honeymoon installment – LA!

Honeymoon: Hearst Castle

September 15, 2014September 4, 2014Leave a comment

As we prepared for our honeymoon one attraction kept popping up – Hearst Castle. Formerly owned by media tycoon William Randolph Hearst, the mansion is perched on the San Simeon hillside with expansive views of the coast. As many guide books state – a tour of this mansion is a must.

While the mansion’s interior was not to our personal liking, Ian and I both enjoyed the estate’s extensive gardens. Overall our experience was positive, but I held a bit of a grudge with the California State Park Department. Due to the drought, they closed all of the public bathrooms and supplied visitors with porta-potties , however, their massive pools were full to the brim…

On the drive to Santa Barbra we stopped by the Elephant Seal beach and watched the colony play in the water and snuggle on the sand. It was quite a sight to see these animals in their natural habitat. I have to admit, we enjoyed this more than Hearst Castle and it was free!