pennies, brussels sprouts, wine with food, and moles

posted by jennifer:


last weekend i went on a getaway to santa barbara with my husband.  we try go on weekend trips a couple of times a year.... and i am extremely fortunate to have family willing and able to watch our brood.   not to mention what a fun time our kids have during our vacation.  it is as much of a break for them, from us, as it is for my husband and i.  sometimes we are not quite as fun as grandma and auntie.  

for us, a weekend away is always worth the money spent.  years ago i made a comparison regarding trips away while talking with a friend.  i look at these trips as marriage/relationship maintenance.   just as it is better to get regular oil changes on your car to avoid having to replace your engine..... it is better to get time alone every now and then... not only is it more economical than marriage counselling or divorce, but it is fun.  marriage maintenance is much more enjoyable than car maintenance methinks.

this past weekend i also learned some new things.  educational as well?!?  do these trips away ever cease to be amazing?

here is what i learned:

*pennies make an awesome building material.  

we went to a restaurant, called the lucky penny,   the building was covered in pennies.  of course it was dark when we were there, and so a picture didn't happen, or i would show you.  however, it is on our to do list now.  we are going to cover the siding on one exterior wall of our house with pennies.  when we do so, i will share it here.    so, so cool.  we can't wait to get started.

*brussels sprouts can be delicious. 

 at another meal out, at the lark. (both lucky penny and the lark are in an area of santa barbara called the funk zone.  i highly recommend both restaurants) the lark had these crispy roasted brussels sprouts that were topped with an asian sauce.  i have never enjoyed brussels sprouts until these.

*while i love wine, i like it more paired with food.   

we went wine tasting, which was a great experience.  we went on a tour which took us into the santa inez valley.  we went to four different wineries/tasting rooms.  my favorite of which was carhartt wines.  the tasting area was on a patio, with a water feature, pepper trees, great furniture all made from oak wine barrels, and good wine.  that was our second stop, and i realized what was missing was food.  and not those little cracker wafer things.... a roasted chicken and vegetables.  or a filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes.   or a thai chicken pizza.  i really think wine goes better with food.  next time we will do a tasting meal... where wine and food are paired.

*i am a lucky girl.

while i already know this, it becomes clearer when i can actually think for a moment... (did you know that when you are away from your day to day life you can have complete thought after complete thought?)  i feel so happy to live my life.  even when all the blah things try to drag me down, i am going to remind myself how good i have it.  how lucky to live in the time we do (really it is good... even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes) and  how lucky to have people that i love who love me back.

*i shouldn't try to pose all cute like other people.

while on our wine tour, which we were on with one other couple, they asked us to take a picture of them.  she was sitting on a picnic table, legs crossed, all model-ly like and he was standing next to her.  i decided i wanted to steal their pose.  and did.  i think it was a bit forced.  i decided to go with our original picture we had taken... even though i look a bit like a mole who is being blinded by the sun.

here is to pennies, brussels sprouts, wine with food, realizing all the good in your life, and moles.   

cheers!

Not a vacation.

Hello!

Since I posted last I have...

*picnicked on a bridge with a few of my favorite people,

*danced like crazy late into the night to some live music,

*went for a quick ride on a flying elephant,

*did some modeling for a fantastic little shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/strawberryoaks )

*met with some new friends to discuss a good book

*explored an estuary,

*flipped into a foam pit at a trampoline park,

*visited 3 different beaches

*kissed my love by a campfire

*and I have had breakfasts, lunches and dinners with a princess and a superhero.

So- I haven't posted recently, but I have been very busy. And Happy. 

XO,

April

Pedaling forward for 22 miles

My daughters and I changed gears for a 30 hour girl's getaway this past weekend.

I was able to embrace things I love:

uninterrupted conversation and laughter with my daughters,

persnickety food choices (healthy, slow, organic)

live music,

down-to-earth people and lifestyles,

&

a bike ride.

I hadn't been on a bike for maybe 30 years until earlier this year when I was in Branson, Missouri, 

celebrating my sister's 60th birthday.  We spent a day at the Dogwood Canyon Nature Park,

where we had access to rental bikes and a beautiful Ozarks bike trail.

It was so much fun to be on a bike again.

I've wanted to recreate that riding experience since being back at home.

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.
John F. Kennedy

When planning this mother-daughter trip, the #1 activity I was drawn to was to rent bicycles, 

and ride from Ojai to the beach.  The Ojai Valley Trail, a converted rail line where trains once 

hauled oranges, links Ojai to Ventura.  It sounded ideal.

My biking venture started before we even got to the trail, however.

We rented bikes (The Mob Shop) and were "test" riding them in the parking lot of the bike shop.

And although the old saying, "Once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget." is probably

true, it should have an asterisk* adding something about the braking system.

I started off test driving "my" bike, but soon found myself heading down a drive way, heading 

toward the busy highway--Ojai Ave.  My feet applied the brakes.  There was no resistance.  I tried again,

and still gliding forward, I tried a third time.  (About this time I must have grazed a tree branch, as my older daughter told my younger daughter, "Mom, just ran into a tree."  I don't remember a tree encounter. I just heard about it.)

My mind finally put this all together and screamed, "This bike doesn't have any brakes...jump off!"

Which is what I did....jumped off the bike seat and got my feet onto the ground.

A bit shaken, I walked the bike back to the entrance of the store.

During this short 20 foot walk, the whole matter popped into focus....
this bike had hand brakes!
(I know. I should have noticed the levers and cables, but if I did, it just didn't sink in.)

Learn to ride a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live.
Mark Twain


I had never, ever, in my 66 years, ridden a bicycle with hand brakes.  (The Branson bikes had coaster brakes.)
Could this old dog learn this new trick and learn it fast?
Having broken my wrist years ago, I am cautious when it comes to any activity that might result in my
bones being pitched into the ground.
BUT,
it was very important to me to go bike riding and so I rode around the parking lot, gently squeezing those hand brakes.  I was definitely out of my comfort zone.  I was uncomfortable both confidence-wise and physically. (My small hands just barely reached the spread between the handle bar and the brake lever.)
After 10 minutes practice, we were off, heading down city streets to reach the trail.  I kept reminding myself,
"hands to stop, hands to stop".

It is downhill from Ojai with a steady climb return trip.
Downhill the wind whipped my hair and invigorated my spirit.
Uphill my legs muscles turned to jelly.
My heart pounded at each steep rise.
Push, push, push those pedals.  Just breathe, I reminded myself.

We had the aspiration to ride to the ocean, but we wisely turned around 11 miles down the trail at Foster Park.  The trail was good and I managed the brakes without incident--well, maybe just one tiny bump that resulted in a splinter in my hand.  We rode for 3 1/2 hours.  My legs were aching, but I didn't care.
I had gone on a fun ride.

Life is like a bicycle.
In order to keep your balance,
you must keep moving.
 Albert Einstein