The Happiest Place

Is where I spent my Thursday.

Day Tripping

[Anza Borrego Desert]

Today we took a short road trip to the Anza Borrego Desert to go hiking.  We've never been before.  It was fun, especially after the hike when we were leaving town, we came upon dozens of these sculptures of animals and dinosaurs in the middle of a vast desert landscape.   It was pretty neat. 

Some More

Here is some fun stuff I got while I was in Washington.  This super cute bag is made from recycled material.  It's my new lunch bag. 

Yes, this is cat food scented soap.  How gross would it be if I really used it?  I wonder if anyone would say anything?  I just thought it was really funny.  I haven't let my cats smell it yet.  I wonder if they will like it.

LOTS of owls from the antique mall!  I had to fight my aunt for some. I got a couple "new" enamel brooches too, but they were still in my shoes at the time of this photo.  And two doggy PBNs.  OH, and a really super neat vintage sunburst clock.  It was too big to bring back in my carry-on so my uncle is mailing it.  I hope it gets here soon - I can't wait!

My mom bought me this cute little vintage globe bank.

Some of my favorite souvenirs are free.  Ticket stubs, napkins, bar coasters... they will always remind me of my trip and the places I went and the sights I saw.

A picture I forgot to post last time.  SPRINKLE CAKE.  I don't remember what it was really called, but I wish we would have gotten one.  My aunt Theresa and I were crying sprinkle cake for the rest of the trip. Dang it. It just looks so awesome!

It was a pretty lazy weekend.  Trying to catch up on all the tv shows I missed, ugh.  And spending some much needed quality time with the kitties and pup.  Aaron and I had a movie date on Friday night.  We saw Catfish.  A documentary to remind you there are some creepy people out there.  Or just super bored.  

Washington

I just got back from a lovely trip to Washington state.  Here are a few photos.  Mount Baker:

My Uncle Larry and Aunt Becky's beautiful home that they built:

The gorgeous view they wake up to every day.  How would you like this in your backyard?

I'm not sure, but I think I might be the first person to ever take a picture of this sign...

Downtown Vancouver:

Downtown Bellingham.  I was in heaven and hell at the same time.  The BEST antique mall I've ever been to.  Total overload.  $60 for a set of mid-century end tables?  What's that?  $195 for a set of four danish modern chairs?  Why did I have to fly? I did get a whole lotta other knick knacks that I was able to bring home though, so it wasn't all torture. 

And right across the street was a place called Rocket Donuts.  The most awesome donut shop I've ever seen, that's for sure! 

Sunlight filtering through a walking trail.

A waterfall that has claimed many a person.

And just because.

Aside from San Diego's loss to Seattle, it was a good trip.  Beautiful weather - and I come home to hot/muggy/rainy San Diego.  What happened to my city?  Can't I leave for five days? Apparently not.

Oh Yeah...

I forgot this one.  Is this not the most awesome broken photo booth ever?  There's just something about it that I can't quite put my finger on ...

1,100 Miles is Too Far Inside a Car

Well, not too far, but far enough.  It is the farthest I've ever ridden in a car.  I went along on a road trip with my husband and in-laws to Colorado Springs, CO.  I love road trips - I think they are like little adventures.  I didn't even mind when we got stuck in Primm - 45 minutes of standstill traffic.  It was kind of neat to be able to get out of the car and walk on the highway like it was the end of the world or some doomsday scenario.  Maybe I didn't mind it because I slept most of the way.  All I need is my "happy mix" on my ipod (which consists of mostly Grizzly Bear) and I'm good.  We were only in Colorado for two days and it went by so fast.  We didn't do half the things we wanted to, but I'm happy just to have had the opportunity to see states and sights I've never seen before.  Colorado and Eastern Utah are so so so pretty.  During one afternoon thunder storm Mr. Amerine and I checked out some thrift stores and I came up on some pretty vintage fabrics, a little wooden owl statue, some vintage enamel clip on earrings, and a great big paint by number in really good condition.  All in all, I'd say the trip was a success, but we are so glad to be home now with our kitties .

Del Mar Fair

I LOVE THE FAIR.  I went this weekend with Mr. Amerine and my mom.  I didn't get to eat everything I wanted (no funnel cake), but that's probably for the best.  Here are some pictures from our day.

We have had a very busy weekend all around.  It was another successful day at the swap meet, then at the thrift store.  I'm collecting vintage fabrics right now for a special project (I'm just not sure what exactly that project is.)  It's fun anyway.  I am obsessed with the vintage hunt.

Sequoia + Kings Canyon

This weekend it was Sir's 29th birthday.  We took a little trip up to Sequoia National Park.  I was looking to see some green since I'm getting sick of the brown dirt and rocks around San Diego, and I was not disappointed.  Everything was so beautiful and there was still snow (quote from me: "what's all that white stuff?").

First off we stopped off at the General Grant Tree in Sequoia's Grant Grove.  The General Grant tree is named after Ulysses S. Grant and is the third largest sequoia tree in the world and is estimated to be over 3,000 years old.  That's one huge old tree.

Upon arriving at our destination, Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon, we hiked the Mist Falls trail, which was 8 miles, round trip.  Along the way we saw this deer having a little snack in the middle of the trail.  We stopped and hung around until she was done and then continued on our way.  We saw many deer on our trip.  I'm glad it was deer we saw and not bears or cats as it very well could have been.

Our final destination:  Mist Falls.

Aside from driving through the depressing dairy farm-town on the way there and the less than luxurious lodge we stayed in, it was a great trip and I'm really glad we got out to experience something new.

Torrey Pines State Beach

Last week I received two emails from different people with pictures of lovely flower fields:  one of the Antelope Valley Poppy Fields and the other of the California Goldfields near Lake Henshaw.  Well I decided I wanted to see some lovely flowers myself.  We decided to go to the  flower fields in Carlsbad.  Well once we got there, I promptly decided it looked pretty lame from the street.  Having driven all the way up there we decided we needed to do something, so we stopped at Torrey Pines State Beach on the way back and wandered around for a while.

I guess a place where you can take a short drive to somewhere like this isn't so bad.  I feel like I take the ocean for granted and I should visit it more.  It's weird to think some people have never seen the ocean. Like  I've never seen falling snow.  I think I might be missing out on something.  But I still want to see some flowers.