California Trip Day 2: Hippies, Vineyards and Danes, Oh My!
DAY 2: February 19, 2012
Ventura, CA.
Not soon after waking up, Christi and I went for a run - my first one ever in California! We ran a 3 mile course along the Ventura boardwalk and the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). Boardwalks have never let me down in terms of people watching; there were surfers and pit bulls galore. And speaking of pit bulls, they were everywhere! (California may just be the most dog-friendly state in the country.) I'm not sure if I've experienced anything more invigorating than running with a view of the mountains on my left and sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean on my right. The natural landscape of coastal California is beautiful beyond description, and no photograph can do it justice.
Back at the Casa de Christi y Chris, I was surprised with the most delightful treat: an organic breakfast smoothie complete with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, flax seeds, chia seeds (which Chris swears to be the main ingredient of Chia Pets), apple juice, and coconut manna. Delish! I've developed quite the smoothie habit here lately (Smoothie King owes me big time!) and was happy to continue my ritual of liquid dining in Cali.
Ojai, CA.
Being the health nut/freak that she is, Christi decided that I needed to experience the local organic farmer's market. Chris and Christi warned me ahead of time that these were no regular farmers we were visiting in Ojai - these were hippies...real ones (no bras, dreads, and all). The hippies, according to the Patterbanks, live in Ojai because they like to be close to mountains. Why? you may ask. Because mountains possess healing properties! (Duh, I thought everybody knew that.) We were hoping that the mountains would cure some of our runners' ailments. As we waited to be healed by the surrounding mountains, we spent our time weaving in and out of the stalls of organic produce. What a wonderful sight! After procuring some locally grown kale, strawberries, avocados, tangerines, etc. we ended our journey to Ojai with a visit to the gourmet tamales vendor. Not a bad breakfast if I do say so myself.
Santa Ynez, CA.
We hadn't showered before heading to Ojai. It just felt right to marinate in our own post-workout sweat amongst the hippies. I didn't want to offend them by being overly or offensively clean. So, we showered and "prettied up" before leaving for Santa Ynez: Southern California wine country. There was a little wine-tasting village of sorts in the Santa Ynez Valley where wineries like Carhartt, Epiphany, Koehler and others hawk their vino-centric wares. It was at the Carhartt tasting room that I saw my first California celebrity: Monica Potter (she's B-list, but so what). I adored her when she starred opposite Freddie Prinze, Jr. in Head Over Heels, and she was just as pretty and down-to-earth in person.
Solvang, CA.
Leaving the Santa Ynez Valley laden with wine (the spoils of Chris and Christi's wine club subscriptions), we stopped in a little hillside village called Solvang. Christi had always wanted to see it, and so we went. After all, she's the boss. If Solvang sounds un-California-y to you, that's because it is; it's not even American...it's Danish. How quaint. A Danish village situated in the heart of California wine country built to look authentic and in accordance with Danish culture, traditions, and architectural styles. If you don't believe me, then visit this website and have a look-see for yourself: http://www.solvangusa.com/. Solvang boasts some pretty amazing Danish bakeries (of which a few were sampled) and a Hans Christian Andersen museum.
From one town to the next and around each corner, California changes drastically in terms of scenery, people, activities, and lifestyles. There are mountains, valleys, oceans, rivers, deserts, forests, and an abundance of brightly colored, flowering botanicals. There are the rich and famous living next door to the poor and obscure. It's a land of polar opposites and intimidating beauty. Cali is a place that must be seen, heard, touched, tasted, and smelled to be believed.
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| Ventura, CA. |
Not soon after waking up, Christi and I went for a run - my first one ever in California! We ran a 3 mile course along the Ventura boardwalk and the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). Boardwalks have never let me down in terms of people watching; there were surfers and pit bulls galore. And speaking of pit bulls, they were everywhere! (California may just be the most dog-friendly state in the country.) I'm not sure if I've experienced anything more invigorating than running with a view of the mountains on my left and sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean on my right. The natural landscape of coastal California is beautiful beyond description, and no photograph can do it justice.
Back at the Casa de Christi y Chris, I was surprised with the most delightful treat: an organic breakfast smoothie complete with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, flax seeds, chia seeds (which Chris swears to be the main ingredient of Chia Pets), apple juice, and coconut manna. Delish! I've developed quite the smoothie habit here lately (Smoothie King owes me big time!) and was happy to continue my ritual of liquid dining in Cali.
Ojai, CA.
Being the health nut/freak that she is, Christi decided that I needed to experience the local organic farmer's market. Chris and Christi warned me ahead of time that these were no regular farmers we were visiting in Ojai - these were hippies...real ones (no bras, dreads, and all). The hippies, according to the Patterbanks, live in Ojai because they like to be close to mountains. Why? you may ask. Because mountains possess healing properties! (Duh, I thought everybody knew that.) We were hoping that the mountains would cure some of our runners' ailments. As we waited to be healed by the surrounding mountains, we spent our time weaving in and out of the stalls of organic produce. What a wonderful sight! After procuring some locally grown kale, strawberries, avocados, tangerines, etc. we ended our journey to Ojai with a visit to the gourmet tamales vendor. Not a bad breakfast if I do say so myself.
Santa Ynez, CA.
We hadn't showered before heading to Ojai. It just felt right to marinate in our own post-workout sweat amongst the hippies. I didn't want to offend them by being overly or offensively clean. So, we showered and "prettied up" before leaving for Santa Ynez: Southern California wine country. There was a little wine-tasting village of sorts in the Santa Ynez Valley where wineries like Carhartt, Epiphany, Koehler and others hawk their vino-centric wares. It was at the Carhartt tasting room that I saw my first California celebrity: Monica Potter (she's B-list, but so what). I adored her when she starred opposite Freddie Prinze, Jr. in Head Over Heels, and she was just as pretty and down-to-earth in person.
Solvang, CA.
Leaving the Santa Ynez Valley laden with wine (the spoils of Chris and Christi's wine club subscriptions), we stopped in a little hillside village called Solvang. Christi had always wanted to see it, and so we went. After all, she's the boss. If Solvang sounds un-California-y to you, that's because it is; it's not even American...it's Danish. How quaint. A Danish village situated in the heart of California wine country built to look authentic and in accordance with Danish culture, traditions, and architectural styles. If you don't believe me, then visit this website and have a look-see for yourself: http://www.solvangusa.com/. Solvang boasts some pretty amazing Danish bakeries (of which a few were sampled) and a Hans Christian Andersen museum.
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| The Golden State |
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