A happy ending

It may be 2012 in Australia, but we still have almost ten hours of 2011 remaining here on the west coast of the US.

Unlike more recent years, I'm not in a hurry to see this one go... but I'm excited to see what next year will bring. What more 'firsts' are out there? We've had quite a few this year:

My first trip to San Francisco, where I took photos like crazy. I loved that city.

Last summer, we hung out down the coast, in the laid back town of Encinitas, venturing a little further south to visit San Diego Zoo - another place that's been on my list of places to see for a long time.

A third place we crossed off our list was Las Vegas, followed by a trip through the Mojave Desert.

Miss Pie had her first birthday, and is very much an adventure-seeking toddler. Her first birthday was January 9th... which means her second birthday is right around the corner. Slow down, PJ!

Perhaps the biggest milestone was The Faery starting her first year of elementary school, and I've seen her blossom even more than I thought was possible.


So... what better way to cap off the year than one final road trip? We decided to head south earlier this week, chase the sun, and see a bit more of San Diego. We stayed in the Old Town region, where the smell of freshly baked tortillas permeated the air, inducing flashbacks to a long ago trip to Mexico.

We spent our first afternoon there gorging on burritos, churros, and - for us grown ups - margaritas. The next day, we took advantage of our annual membership to the zoo, making it our second visit there; rewarding ourselves with sushi at the end of the day.

Our evenings were relaxing ones in our hotel room. Miss Pie snored away while we played Crazy Eights with the Faery and then, lights off for the littlies, we simply read by the glow of technology - me with my new iPhone and J with the iPad.

Yesterday was our day to head back to LA, but with a detour inland to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Our zoo membership also covered entrance there, and we loved the relaxed vibe. If you're ever in that area, I can't recommend it enough - I would possibly even recommend it over the zoo.

And here we are. Today is New Year's Eve - I can't help feeling somewhat like a contented cat sprawled out in the sun. 2011? A vintage year.

PS - If you want some comedy, scroll down and you'll be rewarded by the last photo. Promise.

Oh yes, they were. Nothing like making sweet love on the top of a car, right? The twelve-year-old in me had a massive giggle...

Pandas and polars

While we were on our little holiday down the coast, we visited San Diego Zoo. 

We loved it, and it didn't feel as massive as I'd heard it was. Although we didn't see everything that day, it wasn't because of the size. We just took our time and stopped often, knowing we'll be back to see more another weekend. We walked the entire length at one point, and it didn't seem to take that long. It didn't feel any more sprawled out than Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

As I was waiting in line to see one of the pandas, I overheard a couple of people behind me, talking on their phones - saying how big the zoo was, and how much walking they'd had to do. I had to hide a smile. I get the impression that there's a large portion of the American population who dislike walking. Or aren't used to it. 

As for the panda? He was the first one I've ever clapped eyes on in real life, and the word cute doesn't do justice. He was so round and soft-looking... I just wanted to curl up into him for snuggles.

Our year's membership is just the incentive we need to force us off our bums one weekend, and return - I'm looking forward to it already.

Whose idea was it to give the kid some Coke? (not mine...)

Up close and personal with my first polar bear...

by far the coolest sight.

Floating foot of a sleeping Faery, coming back from the zoo.

Nothing says 'road trip' more than a car floor scattered with road maps.

Mañana

Last week, we spent four days in a beachside town, on the northern outskirts of San Diego. The town was called Encinitas, and was just what we needed to recharge our batteries.

Time slowed right down. Although we were still on the northern side of the US-Mexican border, there was much that reminded me of our time in Mexico, eleven years ago. I loved the proliferation of taquerias that dotted the coastal highway near our hotel. Those places are the real deal, along with small Mexican-run grocery stores, where tortillas are sold by the weight. Best of all, no one was in a hurry. When we were in Mexico, we joked about how laid back everyone was. It didn't matter what the situation was, no one hurried, and we'd say "Mañana, mañana" (tomorrow, tomorrow). It felt similar in Encinitas.

Our accommodation - arranged at the last minute due to unforeseen events - was a basic roadside hotel. The kind where you park your car just outside your room. It was fun, though. I was worried about all four of us in one room (hadn't done that since first moving to LA when Miss Pie was eleven weeks old... at eighteen months, she's a different sleeper) but the girls were fantastic. Our room was pretty much just a place to sleep, anyway.

Day time was for hanging out at nearby Moonlight Beach:

Day time was also for visiting San Diego Zoo - somewhere I've wanted to go for many years. We ended up getting a years' membership, so that we have an excuse to head down south again. It was actually better value, and it meant we didn't stress about rushing around and trying to see everything on one day. Knowing we'd be back one weekend made it much more relaxing.

We had close friends also staying in Encinitas. They had organised a house swap from where they live in Oregon, so late afternoons and evenings were spent at the lovely house they were staying in. Our kids all played together like they'd only been apart a few weeks, and we got to eat (and drink) up a storm, heading back to our hotel each night at an ungodly hour.

It was perfect.

Now it's back to real life, and the ho-hum of domestics. Outside, it's hot, and without the cooling ocean breeze that we had in Encinitas. We didn't get to run off to Las Vegas, for reasons I won't bore with. Let's just say not all the necessary conditions were in place. I'm disappointed, but we had such a brilliant time last week that I'm (kind of) okay about it. We had a local date night, so it wasn't a sad ending.

I do want to close my eyes, though. Open them, and be back in our little Encinitas hotel room. Everything was simpler for a few days (well, except the part about trying to do everything around a toddler's need for a midday sleep).

Sun, warmth, fun, great company, tipsy late-night conversations, kids dancing... must do it again.

PS - How adorable is Miss Pie, and how spunky is the Faery? She got her first case of sunburn (oops) but she now has the most golden-coloured skin to die for.

Postcard from California

It's time for a small holiday break (or vacation, for those of you who speak Yankee).

Over the next couple of weeks, I have J's mum arriving for a few weeks, the Faery turning five (!), and a trip down the coast to the northern San Diego beaches - for a catch up with much loved, old friends. After we return to LA, if I'm super lucky, J and I might even be able to run away to Las Vegas (sans kids) for a night.

That last plan is just a tentative shadow, but I have my fingers crossed extra tightly - we desperately need a night away, just the two of us, and who knows when we'll get another opportunity for the Faery and Miss Pie to be in the excellent care of a family member.

I suspect that even if I was inclined to squeeze in some cyber ramblings amongst all these summer festivities, I may not actually have much internet access while we're away... so I'm going to call it a clean break for now, and be back in a few weeks. Hopefully I'll have a tale or three to tell, and you know there'll be pictures...