Laguna

Well one week later and I am still not quite sure that I am on my A game just yet.  Last week I jetted off for a get away with my Mom.  Something the two of us have never done together.  I flew in to OC and we were off to Laguna.  Two days at the beach.  Just me and her.  Bliss.  Upon arrival  at our hotel the front desk attendant upgraded us to a room with a view.  Although it was dark we did our best to squint and find the ocean waves.  We weren't able to see the ocean but we could hear it.  That would have to wait until morning.  For the moment our stomachs were growling and we hit the pavement to find some sustenance.  With the hour on the clock growing later our choices were limited and we happen to stumble upon a lovely late night café.  We sat outside and toasted the start to our weekend together while eating sweet, buttery chicken, macaroni and cheese and collard greens.  Delish. 

 

On the walk back to the hotel we passed boutique lined streets, enormous succulents in planters and the late night scene coming to life and the two of us thought of only one thing.  Dessert.  Mom had picked up cupcakes from Casey's Bakery in Riverside, winner on Cupcake Wars a while back.  Her specialty, an espresso cupcake with chocolate espresso curls.  There are no words.  Moist, rich and melt in your mouth scrumptious! 

 

Espresso Cupcake

 

Stinkin' cute packaging, the cupcake was hiding in the striped box

 

So needless to say we devoured both the espresso cupcake and the coconut one.  Why not?  It was the best way to end the night.  And when we woke and opened the French doors to the patio, look what was waiting for us.

 

The view, good for my soul

 

We were off for an early morning run on the streets of Laguna.  Up and down hilly sidewalks with the ocean as our guide.  Doesn't get much better than that.  A quick five miles and we met back at the hotel for breakfast.  We sat rooftop and admired the view, sipped our coffee and watched hummingbirds flit all around.  Mom made friends with this creature and fed it her raisin bran. 

 

 

When I sent Thing 1 this picture with a message that said, "Look who Nani is talking to this morning", she was not surprised and responded with, "go figure".  Yes, we love Nani, the bird whisperer.  Reluctantly we made it back to the room to shower and prepare to conquer some shopping and lunch at Javier's, the infamous restaurant.  So we prettied ourselves and took to window shopping on the streets of Laguna.  Walking up and down, stopping in intriguing stores and finding treasures like the ones below.

 

Fiestaware on display

 

This was stunning.  And see that orange creamer dish on the right?  Yes, yes you do.  That is from the 1930's my friends and it almost came home with me.  That and it's partner, the sugar dish that you can't see.  Sadly enough when I was told the price I just couldn't do it but I will continue to think about the sugar  and creamer dish that wasn't. 

 

The night before Mom and I had walked past a store front window with the very best display on a lanky mannequin, it was a grey t-shirt with black lettering that said, "SUNDAY FUNDAY".  Yes please.  I obviously could not stop talking about said shirt so Mom was on a mission to find it for me and that she did.  We drove up and down the street and feasted our eyes on such sights as this until we found the shirt once again.  Then the shirt came home with me.  In fact I am wearing it as I type because today is Sunday funday!  Don't you agree? 

 

Laguna Nursery

 

All that shopping and browsing vintage purses, clothes and trinkets made our bellies growl and I do believe that Javier's was calling our names.  Off we drove with Mexican food on the brain.  We entered into the best smelling, most wonderful atmosphere of a Mexican restaurant and landed ourselves at a beach front table.  Score.  The view was magnificent and as chips and salsa were delivered we found ourselves whale watching.  Yes, yes we did.  Could it have been any better than that?  Right there at our table we spotted whales in the distance giving us a show, God's creation is truly remarkable.  Not only that but the food at this place, that was a show in and of itself.  We shared the tablita, carne asada and jandori chicken tacos with roasted pablano peppers, bell peppers, guacamole, rice and refried beans.  Gastronomically wonderful!

 

Oh my! 

 

Mom and me after lunch, there is this beautiful wine bottle fountain behind us, amazing!

 

Our day together was not quite over and from lunch we drove to the beach once again.  I needed to feel the sand in my toes one last time and Mom needed some photos taken for her new business cards.  The jetting rocks in Laguna create the most wonderful sound as the waves crash into them.  Not to mention they house tide pools galore.  We did some exploring in the sand, took some photos and drank some coffee.  Side by side.  Laughing and talking and dreaming. 

 

Yes a selfie, a sweet passerby offered to take our picture

but why have a normal photo when you can have this for all time? 

The waves

 

I must explain the photo below.  So I was standing on the rocks in the picture above trying to negotiate an angle to capture a photograph of Mom's feet with sand on them for her business cards, you can ask her about that, and as I was leaning over to take the photo my earring fell out.  One of my favorite earrings that my brother and his sweet wife gave me from Anthropologie.  My beyond wonderful Mom was calling to the ocean to bring back said earring.  Yes, she loves me that much!

I did manage a handful of shots that she was hoping for so that was a score too.  Well that and knowing that  my Mom would try to find an earring amidst cloudy, sandy water just for me. 

 

And that my friends is how my Mom and I spent our days together.  Eating, laughing, talking, sharing, praying, shopping, more eating, creating and just being.  Together.  The very best way to be.