My California Adventure!

Helloooo everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts! I have a good reason for not blogging though: I was on vacation in sunny California last week with D. We had an amazing time! We flew in to San Diego and stayed with my relatives for two days (I miss them already!). Then we rented a car and drove up to Long Beach, stayed there for a couple of nights, then drove up to Santa Barbara and stayed for three days, then made our way back down to L.A. and flew out of LAX last Sunday. These are pictures from my iPhone and Instagram, funny enough they turned out better than the pics I took with my DSLR. (I blame the photographer - me!) Clockwise starting from top left: My Aunt and Uncle took us on a tour of San Diego and we stopped in beautiful La Jolla to see the ocean, walking in Venice Beach (it's a bit of a freak show down there), hanging out on our rooftop of our hotel in Long Beach, a smoothie and a juice from Cafe Gratitude in Venice Beach. (So good!)

I met fellow blogger Carrie from This Free Bird! We had become friends through the internet and have been following each other on our blogs and social media for about 3 years so it was so nice to meet her in person! D. and I met her at her boyfriend's restaurant, The Corner in Hungtington Beach. The food was AMAZING! And he customized a dessert for me, vegan and gluten-free! After Long Beach, we drove up the coast and stopped in Malibu and put our feet in the ocean. I also went into the All Saints store there where I found these boots! Sadly, I did not buy them : (.

It was soooo easy to eat a vegan and gluten-free diet in California, which I was worried about before leaving on vacation. But they have juice bars, smoothie shops and serve acai bowls everywhere, which is what you see in that first picture. While in Santa Barbara we drove to the Santa Ynez Valley and went to Sunstone Winery I didn't drink any wine (I just don't like the taste) but I drank a lot of Pressed juices while in California, this green one was my favorite. The last pic is of a Santa Barbara sunset one night. Breathtaking, isn't it?!

Yes, that is a pig with a bit of a mohawk whom we met on a bike ride, being pushed in a camo baby stroller. He was very friendly! ; ) We went on a ferry ride to Coronado Island while in San Diego with my Aunt and Uncle, that's D. riding on the bike path in Santa Barbara (I am in LOVE with palm trees), the last pic is another one of the winery.

So we met this hippie dude in a parking lot (he was as high as a kite) and I had to take a picture of his van. He glued all these little figurines on it. Crazy, hey? We stayed at a Bed & Breakfast while in Santa Barbara, called the Harbor House Inn which was just lovely and they provide bikes for all their guests so D. and I rode our bikes all around the city. When we were in L.A. we went to see stand-up comics perform at the Laugh Factory and everyone was hilarious, there was one comedienne, Iliza Schlesinger, who almost made me pee my pants. We also drove around Bevery Hills that day, that's The Beverly Hills Hotel.

My favorite beach, Butterfly Beach in Montecito (where Oprah has a house!), another pic on the beach (with my crazy, frizzy, naturally curly hair!), the infamous Chateau Marmont Hotel! (I tried lying my way to get in but security was too tight.) And another juice!

CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS!! Wherever I was in California I was always on the lookout for celebrities! I actually put it out into the Universe: "Universe, please let me see some famous people while I'm in California." We saw a few: pregnant Tammin Sursok, who plays Jenna on 'Pretty Little Liars' came out of a store in Venice Beach while we were driving past, Dustin very proudly pointed out Brent Spiner who played Data on 'Star Strek' when we were at Malibu Country Mart, Edward Furlong stepped on Dustin's foot while walking on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood (he looked really strung out) and I chatted with CINDY FRICKEN CRAWFORD in a Malibu Starbucks!! She was in line behind me and I turned and saw that famous mole on her face and was like, "OH MY GOD, CINDY CRAWFORD IS BEHIND ME!" She was on her cell phone. Once she got off, I couldn't NOT say something to her, I mean she was RIGHT THERE. So without thinking about what I was going to say, I turned to her and said, "I just have to say I LOVED your workout tape from the '90's with Radu." (Radu was her trainer, click here for the workout video.) She laughed and said, "That was a long time ago! That workout was hard, it's still hard!" I told her I used to do it all the time when I was a teenager. She said, "That's too funny!" Then I left and went outside to meet D. I told him, "Cindy Crawford is in Starbucks, Oh My God, you HAVE to take a photo of us, I talked to her, we're like besties now!" So we waited but when she came out she was on her cell phone so I didn't want to bother her. But she smiled and waved at me and said "bye" when she left! She was so nice! The last celebrity we spotted was Mila Kunis at LAX (sans Ashton). We saw her going through security and then ended up sitting right behind her at a restaurant in the airport. She was with an assistant I think. D. would not let me ask her for a photo, he said she looked like she didn't want to be bothered which was true. Actually he begged me not to ask for one and asked me if I could act normal. So I obliged, you're welcome D.! But I did take a picture of him instead and in the background you can see the back of her head. She was wearing a ball cap.

Although it was exciting seeing all these celebrities, my favorite part of the trip (besides spending time with my relatives) was when we spent time in Santa Barbara and Montecito, which is right next door to SB. We absolutely loved it there! It is such a beautiful place and we hope to go back soon!

I hope you're all having a great week! What's new with everyone?