Off the Grid at Agua Caliente

Days before Thanksgiving, the hum begins. It's pressure, it's excitement, it's stress, anxiety, joy, determination, loneliness, nostalgia, merriment, and sometimes fear. No matter what the holidays and the year's end bring, it always arrives in a noisy cacophony of emotions, mental checklists, and memories.

And yet, this past weekend, it was completely quiet.

Our friends Bonnie and Jason are camping pros and this year they decided to do Thanksgiving, turkey and all, out in the desert, at Agua Caliente County Park, about two hours east on the 8. While Ryan, the dogs, and I celebrated with Ryan's parents in San Diego on Thursday, we decided to camp out with Bonnie and Jason in the days following Thanksgiving.

I thought camping would be a good way to muffle all the seasonal noise that always seems to drown out the long Thanksgiving weekend. I just had no idea how good it would be.

Restaurant Review: Wang's North Park

"There is no good Chinese food in San Diego." - Me, anytime before last Wednesday

Do you know how many times I've made that (mostly unfounded) declaration? A lot. Good Chinese food, along with even remotely decent bagels, chicken parm subs, and pizza, was something I thought I'd left behind on the east coast. And in the past 4 years, I've managed to find secret spots for each of those foods. Except Chinese.

Good Japanese food or Thai? San Diego knocks those out of the park. I have so many favorites, I wouldn't even know where to start recommending places. But good Chinese food has eluded me here.

And then I went to Wang's North Park.

Not only did I find good Chinese food... but I think I found the best Chinese food in San Diego.

Oh, and may I add, some of the best craft cocktails...

Sayulita Life: Hotel Villas Sayulita & Health Center

pc: Angel

When I left Sayulita after a week's stay earlier this year, I had no idea when I'd be back. And I definitely didn't think I'd end up spending another week there only 9 months later.

But that's exactly where I found myself two Saturdays ago: on the first day of a week-long yoga retreat right in Sayulita.

I've spent the past week back at home sorting through photos and organizing my reflections from that trip into posts. And I'm so excited to share all of them. Starting with the gorgeous hotel that was our home for 8 days,

When Ryan and I went to Sayulita for our Valentine's Day vacation, we split our time between two hotels: Petit Hotel Hafa, right in the heart of town, and Playa Escondida, a resort that was a 10 minute drive from the town. And honestly, there were things about each place that we liked and things that we thought could have been better.

For instance, at Hafa, the bustle of the town (and that damn gas truck) woke us up at the crack of dawn each morning, with no regard for our hangovers. And though Escondida had that relaxing resort feel, it was inconveniently far from town when we needed to head in for something.

This time, during the week of the retreat, I stayed at the beautiful Villas Sayulita & Health Center, and honestly? This hotel combined the best of both worlds.

Gluten-Free Caprese Mini Sliders

Every year around this time, I begin scouring Pinterest for quick and tasty appetizers that I can bring to any one of the many seasonal gatherings we find ourselves running off to.

Between football Sundays and Friendsgivings, birthdays and White Elephants, work and Christmas shopping and visiting with friends and family who are in town just for the holidays, November and December are hectic enough. Then, in the midst of all that, I have to try to find time to prepare a tasty, unique food offering to bring to a party, and oh yeah, one that meets everyone's various dietary restrictions.

But this year? This year I will nail it.

Shoppped: TOPSHOP Fashion Valley

IT'S HERE!

Do you know what happiness is? Happiness is falling in love with a store, a perfect, beautiful store while you're studying abroad in London. And then having that store open its third U.S. location in the city where you now live. And then being invited by said store to come and shop before the doors are opened to the public. And then getting champagne and a personal stylist to assist you while you do so. And THEN going to the launch party where you get to meet Devendra Banhart, drink for free and dance all night with your friends.

That, my friends, is happiness. And I am so, SO happy.

Topshop Fashion Valley is finally, wonderfully, dangerously open, but if you want a little sneak peek before you head to the mall, well, I'd love to share my happiness with you...

Represent

Ocean Beach Tank c/o: SD Luv Co. // Cardigan: Billabong // Aviators c/o: Oakley Womens

A couple of snaps from our Sunday Funday this past weekend. Nothing beats the view from Wonderland in OB. And nothing beats day drinking with the people you love.

Thanks to SD Luv Co. for helping me rep my new hood with this ridiculously comfy tank. See what designs they have for your neighborhood here. 

Edie: An American Biography

Sometime last year, Mucho Mucho Bueno Bueno shared their current read: a biography on Edie Sedgwick, socialite and model from the 1960s. Being a fan of Sedgwick, as well as a lover of all things '60s pop culture, I was intrigued. I ordered it and two days later, Edie: American Girl showed up. Like most of the books on my bookshelf, I didn't get to it for a while. This summer, I finally picked it up and it. was. awesome.