BIG BEAR LAKE ADVENTURES

The getaway we took to Big Bear Lake to celebrate my birthday was all that I could have asked for- a family adventure that satisfied my soul.  We’re soaking up these last weeks of summer with everything we’ve got!  More of our vacation snaps after the jump, if you’d care to see!  XX- Sarah 

We rented a pontoon boat for a couple hours of fun on the lake!  It was so easy to drive and we were able to see the entire lake, spend some time drifting in the middle of the lake with the engine off and if it hadn’t been so windy we would’ve snuck in a swim.  Next time I think we’ll pack a picnic lunch and tack on a couple more hours. We’re already plotting a trip back with some friends, and I’ve got hopes of giving stand up paddle boarding a go!

We started our day with an early morning hike and had the trail to ourselves!  Bean went ape.  She loves nothing more than running amuck in the woods.  And Nugget was a short legged champ, she refuses to let a little thing like her small stature stop her from fully enjoying the great outdoors.  Family hikes are the best!

Our first night in Big Bear we watched the sun set over the lake.  Nothing beats fresh air, a sunset, and the quiet that only a sleepy little mountain town can provide.  Big Bear, you have our hearts.  Hope to see you again soon!

TULUM, WHERE THE JUNGLE MEETS THE SEA

i’m so excited to finally share some of my photos from tulum, and a few of my recommendations for those who are planning a trip there!  what took me so long, you ask?  sometimes when i travel i become so consumed with the experience that i have a really hard time getting motivated to photograph.  and then i come home and kick myself over all the photos i didn’t take.  it all started with a three week trip to thailand in 2001 where i shot only one roll of film. 36 PICTURES IN THREE WEEKS!  but i remember that trip still, so vividly, and i think it’s in large part because i was just really soaking it in.  i wasn’t consumed with trying to get it on film so i could remember every little detail, i was just IN IT, you know what i mean?  so it’s this conflict i have now when i travel, and i struggle with striking a balance.  but enough about that…. tulum awaits!  {more after the jump}

 

tulum is a magical little town on the caribbean side of mexico with miles of beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise waters.  the days you spend there are the things postcards are made of.  it has a little something for everyone- great places to practice yoga, all the beach and sunshine you could want for a totally relaxing escape, and adventures a plenty for the active vacationer.  and the fact that the jungle runs right up to the sea is just really delicious icing on an already perfect cake.  i fell in love and dream of a chance to go back.

 

WHERE TO STAY:

we stayed at ahau tulum, on the recommendation of friends.  we loved it for the gorgeous beach, hammocks and cabanas.  the hotel restaurant had healthy, satisfying food and decent service.  we felt safe and at home there. our room was simple and comfortable, with only a few of the bumps that are often a part of traveling in mexico (spotty electricity and bits of time without hot water).  but honestly, none of the small inconveniences fazed us in the least!  the hotel management was kind and attentive, the location convenient and if you’re looking for a very bohemian hotel stay, this is the place (meaning plenty of yoga classes, a fair amount of dread locked guests and a perch atop the palm trees to watch the sunset and meditate).  

while i loved ahau, next time i’ll check out coqui coqui, which i’ve also heard great things about!  we were originally scheduled to stay there but unfortunately they over booked and called us to cancel a few weeks after we made our reservation.  still, i’d give them another shot for the perfumery alone!

here are a few photos of ahau, and the beach it sits on!  

 

 

WHERE TO EAT:

1. hartwood:  if i had my way i would have dined at hartwood every single day we were there.  i’m not kidding. the freshest local ingredients prepared in the most divine ways with a new menu every day all served in an atmosphere you want to bottle up and take home with you!  heaven in tulum, this place.  i still think about a salad we ate there, and how flavorful and incredible it was, in spite of the simplest of ingredients.  oh hartwood, i will be forever a fan.

2. casa jaguar:  such a charming little restaurant with amazing atmosphere and a friendly staff.  the food was tasty, my cocktail was perfection, but truly it was the jungle restaurant setting that won me over.  

3. el tabano: mexican food!  great atmosphere, good food (although the night we were there the only option for a vegan meal was tamales, that were decent but nothing i’d rave about).  however i suspect that if you’re a vegetarian or meat eater you could have a really incredible meal there!  

i hope you enjoyed my little mini tulum travel guide!  xx-sarah

gifts from japan

as i mentioned this morning, lou was in tokyo while i was in tulum.  when i got in late last night i found a pile of sweet japanese gifts he brought home for me.  so of course i photographed them all!  because aren’t they amazing?!  i can’t wait for my turn to go to tokyo.  i’m besotted with all things japanese- from tea towels, to washi tape, to sweet little rice bowls and perfect little sake sets- I CANNOT GET ENOUGH!  i’m so happy to add these to our kitchen collection.  thank you mr. mora for being so sweet to me.  see the rest of my new goodies after the jump!

TULUM, i miss you already

hello everyone!  i’m back from tulum (equal parts happy and sad!).  this morning i woke up next to my husband, which was amazing as he’s been all over the country and world the past few weeks while i was also away.  it felt like we were a million miles apart and there’s nothing sweeter than a reunion with the ones you love (and being showered in kisses from pups who also feel as if you’ve been gone for a lifetime).  i’ll be sharing bits of my tulum visit with you soon and hopefully some of lou’s photos from tokyo as well!  i’m also really looking forward to getting back into the kitchen!  i’m so inspired by the food we ate, so will be posting lots of food recipes in the upcoming weeks.  basically what i’m getting at is… I’M BACK AND IT’S GOING TO BE EXTRA FUN AND YUMMY AROUND HERE!!!!  xx- sarah

photos via my instagram

thank you thank you

this thanksgiving one of the things i’m so grateful for is YOU!  your sweet, insightful comments yesterday were inspiring and so helpful.  i couldn’t be happier to have created a little community of amazing women (and you too guys, i know you’re more few and far between but i’m glad you’re here!).  so thank you, for showing up and being awesome.  and have a wonderful holiday if you’re here in the states!  *photo from a date night in milos, greece!  see some of our other greece photos here

milos greece, our favorite beach

a look back on our trip to milos continues today with our favorite beach!  one of the things we love to do most on vacation is have adventures on chartered sailing trips.  this day we were especially lucky because we arrived late and the charters had all left for their day sails, but there was one captain left who had been planning on staying in and fixing up his boat.  he was sweet enough to offer to take us out alone for a special price (OMG!) so we spent a full 9 hours exploring milos from sea!  it was incredible, by far our favorite day there.  and when we arrived at this incredible spot we were the only ones there (and truly felt for a minute like the only people on the planet).  we swam to shore and explored the sandy beach, tucking rocks and driftwood into our swimsuits to bring home with us.  

if i ever need to “go to my happy place”, it might very well be here.  turquoise water, a long stretch of white sandy beach, a bright blue sky with plenty of sunshine, no one in sight except my husband, a catamaran floating in the bay…heaven. *sigh*