Hi friends! I've missed you. We're back from our epic 1-year anniversary road trip up the west coast. If you'd like to follow along on our adventures, I'll be sharing a few photos every day this week.
As you know, we flew down to Los Angeles for my a capella group's 15-year reunion. The weekend was so jam packed with mixers, rehearsals, performances, and after parties, I had no time to take photos in LA. So we'll begin this photo journey at our first official stop: Santa Barbara.
After cleaning out Hal's storage unit and packing up his SUV, we hit the road, heading up the 101 to visit his alma mater, UCSB. He showed me the house he lived in as a student for dirt cheap... on a bluff overlooking the ocean! Next door was the sweetest little park, Window To The Sea. We sat on the swing while he told me stories of his crazy college days.
Hal suggested spending the night in San Luis Obispo at the Madonna Inn, a legendary landmark hotel he remembered staying at as a child. It's quirky, offbeat and nostalgic... just my style!
There are 110 themed rooms, each one individually decorated in 60's kitsch, many with rock walls and waterfall showers. Their names say it all: Barrel of Fun, Caveman, Love Nest, Jungle Rock, Old Fashion Honeymoon, Safari, Oriental Fantasy, and the list goes on and on. We were given the key to Carin, a sunny round room with two balconies. Private, romantic and very (very) pink. There were glitter walls and bronze cupids. I felt like a Disney princess.
Wrapping ourselves in candy striped towels, we took a quick dip in the pool before the sun went down.
We enjoyed a fireside pasta dinner at the Copper Cafe and toasted to our travels in the Silver Bar cocktail lounge while the Cal Poly Swing Club entertained us with "Madonna Monday" lindy hop. The entire evening was lovely and surreal. An eccentric rose-colored dream.
Tomorrow, we'll be driving to San Fran. Stay tuned!
West Coast Road Trip 02 - San Luis Obispo to the Trees of Mystery
West Coast Road Trip 03 - Legget, California to Wildspring Guest Habitat
West Coast Road Trip 04 - Port Orford, Oregon to Salishan Resort
West Coast Road Trip 05 - Gleneden Beach to Cannery Pier Hotel in Astoria
This is post is sponsored by Madonna Inn. The content and opinions are all my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep Happiness Is running!
