Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Let sleeping dogs lie

<-----Before we left the girls behind last week at our respective parents' houses (thanks mom 'n' dad of Peter and thanks to my mom 'n' dad!) we went out for a bite to eat at a local bagel place and as you can see, Mattie and Heidi were pretty nonplussed at the situation. Dogs never lie but they do lay pretty well, no?

Wonder what they're dreamin' of...



It was a great trip we took, a much-needed vacation for both of us, leaving the southern sunny climes of San Diego near the Mexico border for six days for the friendly confines of a damp but dreamy Humboldt County, way up north, almost near Oregon.

The time away from home wasn't without incident (i.e. our rental car trunk wouldn't close, i got stung repeatedly in the back of my left knee by a gang of yellowjackets while hiking one morning) but it was a totally fantastic holiday overall. No complaints, really!

I am posting just a few photos today to give an idea of some of the things we did and people, places and other natural wonders we were fortunate to see. (Not in any order whatsoever; hey, i'm a Pisces, and we're not always the most organized sorts, y'know.) I'll try to post more as the week goes on.
















Talk about impromptu! This photo was taken next to a "bench" at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. http://www.redwoodvisitor.org/printrecord.asp?id=1729
Peter had taken a nap atop a downed part of a tree (perfect for resting on), and i was sitting next to it near him snacking on something or other. I just happened to look behind me and saw these faces carved into the side. It said "Daniel '99" underneath. I thought it was really cool. Finding artwork unexpectedly... isn't that nice?
















This captures the first of four times we ate at the Wildflower Cafe, a vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant right around Humboldt State University, from where Peter was graduated a few (!!!) years back. Ohmydog, this place ROCKS!

In that photo above, i was snacking on an ammmmmmmmazing chocolate raspberry brownie with some water, Peter munched on a chocolate chip walnut cookie with a cup o'coffee. We went back later that night for dinner (a huge plate of vegan mushroom stroganoff for me, spanokopita for him) and a few mornings later, we would return for breakfast. He had a broccoli and mushroom scramble, i ate incredible vegan french toast with fruit compote.





















We landed (well the pilot of our Southwest Airlines plane landed us nicel) in Oakland and we (sans the pilot) drove through Napa, which is renowned for beautiful, sweeping views and lush landscape, miles and miles of vines holding juicy, plump wine grapes, myriad B&Bs and other such pleasures.

We stopped a couple of times on our way up (about 6 hours' drive) to Humboldt County and i was able to snap a photo of some grapes (which we snapped up and ate!) that were just hangin' there temptingly on one of thousands of vines. Totally sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet in every way.
















This is one small part of Patrick's Point, which is just an incredible, breathtaking, wondrous and a few other hundred adjectives i could throw in place to be... and really you can just "be" there! This photo hardly does it proper justice. Peter and i stayed the first and last night at one of our friends' house in the city of Eureka, but the other three nights we camped out not far from where this photo was taken, in Patrick's Point State Park.

Camping was, as it always is, an experience combining spontanaity, sacrifice, surprises and... well, this time it also included slimy (but beautiful) banana slugs, cackling crows, rummaging raccoons, cheery chipmunks, magical web-spinning artist spiders and evidently some big ol' state of Calfornia bears, too ... more on that in a later post!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is just a darling picture of Mattie and Heidi. How nice that the parents watched them for you :) Sorry to hear you got stung multiple times behind your knee. That had to hurt!!!! Ouch. When I was biking last year, I ran into a hornet and it stung me on my arm. That was painful.

That random carved art you found is pretty neat. Love the pic of you and Peter. You both look fab! You can tell you both were enjoying your vacation and yummy veg food :) I bet the vegan french toast was delicious.

Those grapes look amazing and tasty. I'm jealous, I want some grapes!!! Patrick's Point looks gorgeous. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful pic.

Wow, I'm impressed you went camping. There's no way I could survive camping LOL Sounds like you encountered quite the assortment of animals. I look forward to hearing more about it :)

Anonymous said...

I can't believe your pups just lie there like that!

That picture from the state park is absolutely breathtaking! It sounds like a fantastic time!!

Tanya Kristine said...

what a gorgeous trip. looking at pictures like that makes me want to go on a trip. and i wa sjust planning a day trip to SF. one of like a thousand...maybe i should expand my horizons!

that brownie sounds lovely. and so does the cookie!! too bad you coudln't bring mattie & heidi...i hate leaving my buds behind.

but then again...that's a vacation in itself.

on your prior blog, did you see McLibel yet? that's a movie you should see...it's reeally good.

Dori said...

I have never seen an ocean in real life, it is on my one day I want to accomplish list. Until then I will enjoy your blog. The food, oh the food ... a real restaurant that serves fronch toast, gotta love that.

Daniel must have been there for quite a stay in 99. Awesome job. Sorry to hear about the bee - ouch. I was stung on the chest while driving in the car with the window down once. Ouch!

Kate said...

Woah! The pictures are an amazing sight. Someday I would love to do somthing like that. That is great that you found a place to eat that has the kind of food your looking for. I have to have myself some vegan french toast some day, yum yum. I love the pic of you guys eating, very cute and nice tans. Patrick's Point looks like a must visit spot. Oh and your dogs are adorable!

Anonymous said...

wildflower yum...wish I could eat there!
I also love those face carvings. So cool that you just stumbled upon them like that.

urban vegan said...

What a great time you had. It's so nice to get away--and you some some lovely sights. It looks like it was a life-affirming vacation.

I must say, you & Peter make such a cute couple. ANd so do the doggies.

Freedom said...

Those carved faces are absolutely outstanding. I think I would have snuck in there at night, carved them right out of the tree and taken them home!

Anonymous said...

So happy to hear about your trip - sounds like you had a wonderful time. You and Peter look darling and happy as clams (uneaten ones, that is). Glad you two got to spend some quality time together.

I can't believe those carved faces. They're totally amazing and spontaneous.

Did you hug a redwood for me?

laura k said...

How fortunate that you came across that restaurant! Sounds like all in all, you had a fantastic trip. Your pictures are intriguing, especially the one of the grapes...

Sorry about the yellowjackets. I had a run-in once with a whole nest of them, so I know that's not fun!

Glad you're back!

pinknest said...

wow, patrick's point looks AMAZING. i want to go. and eat those grapes as well.

Crunchy Domestic Goddess said...

wow! looks like an amazing time, except for the yellowjacket stings (ouchee!!!). glad you still had a good time and got to see some beautiful sights! i'd love to see oregon someday.

Kuntal Joisher said...

woww!! great pics... hey even mes was in bay area.. but I was mostly in sunnyvale.. we went to 17-mile drive.. and the ocean was beautiful..

Candi said...

Sounds really relaxing! (aside from the stings!) You and your hubby look so happy and healthy!! I love that photo!

Patrick's Point is gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures. It all looks so full of bountiful summer and you both look so relaxed and brimming with good spirit. What a wonderful break. Bet those dogs were pleased to see you back, with best wishes, The Artist

Cherie Anderson said...

what a wonderful, relaxing vacation that you surely deserved! isn't it nice to have places to eat when you go on vacation? i love going to veg-friendly cities.

funwithyourfood said...

I really like that carved bench. what a great find

I've never been to napa valley. But i don't like wine so that's why.

I've never heard of patricks point?
teddy

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your travels and photos, really, really nice.

That brownie sounded like what I want for breakfast. What a great combo raspberries and chocolate.

Great post, as usual. Huggs, G

Jody from VegChic said...

Great pics from the trip and the two pooches...how cute!

There are so many beautiful parks and places I'd like to visit in CA.

Thanks for sharing the photos and glad to have you back!

Anonymous said...

It sounds like you had a fabulous time. I love the faces!
I’ll be taking my daughter on a hiking trip this fall. We are going to the Blue Ridge Mountains.