I love weekend getaways. My principal told me I was a jetsetter earlier in the school year, and this made me start keeping track of all the places I’ve visited since then (I want to see if I really am or if he was just being facetious!).
Most people think of years in terms of the months between January and December, but I’m in education and work around an academic calendar. Therefore, my year starts in August and ends in June. Weird, I know, but my brain is stuck that way. Here is a list of places I’ve been so far this “year”:
- Cambria, CA in September for my 31st birthday
- Tucson, AZ in early October to visit my college bff and second-shoot a wedding with her
- Mendocino, CA in late October for a weekend getaway
- Los Angelos, CA in January for the Grammy Awards with my father
- Random day trips to San Francisco and other locations within a two-hour driving distance in between the overnight trips
Last weekend we took a long overdue trip to Pacific Grove, CA. Pacific Grove is a quaint little town nestled between Monterey and Carmel. It is one of our favorite vacation spots and we try to visit at least once a year. Our trips are always relaxed and low key. We eat, walk around, drive around, eat some more, and repeat. It is the best schedule ever!
Here are a few photos for those of you who have never been:
One of our stops always takes us to Carmel (for coffee and ice cream). Although we didn’t do the 17-mile Drive this time, I did ask my boyfriend to drive through the neighborhoods so I could snap a few shots of the fairytale style homes that are quite common in Carmel architecture. Aren’t they fun? I want to live in one of these!
Next month I’ll be in Portland, OR, then Las Vegas, NV in June, and Washington D.C. and New York in August. The last time I went to the East Coast in August I nearly passed out from the heat, so hopefully the weather will be more mild this summer. For someone born in the tropics of Vietnam, I sure can’t handle my high temps and humidity very well! 😀
Although these trips take me to different locations, they all have one thing in common (which is also the best thing): coming home to Bailey and getting blasted with puppy hugs and kisses! (Bailey is 7 and not really a puppy, but he looks like one so I can’t help it!)
Patty Nguyen Zurilgen 
Patty, I’m taking my coffee late and I’m looking at your pictures, wonderful photos 🙂
Thanks, Linda! I finally had time tonight to work on this post!
You’re so talented, keep going 🙂
That is so nice of you to say, Linda! Thank you!!
You have explored so many places! Love the pics! Also love he relaxed feel to your trips…right up my alley! I think we would have fun hanging out Patty! 🙂 Portland, OR….have you been there yet? As a Pacific Northwest girl, I am partial to any place in this region….excited you will get to visit there. Oregon is beautiful! Though I have an even greater soft spot for Washington! 🙂
Lori, I’ve only passed through Oregon in the past, but will be there for a long weekend this time. Last April we were in Washington and spent some time with family. Now, I agree–we’d have tons of fun together!
Yes, we would relax, laugh, and eat! 🙂
Were you in the Seattle area? How do you like Washington? Hubby is from NY, I am from CA, we met in TX, and now live in the Pacific Northwest! Hehehe! I can’t think of a better place to live though…love it!
Yes, we were in the Seattle area and had a great time! I also have family in TX and my brother now lives in NY! But Lori, I think you have it backwards–wouldn’t we eat first and foremost, then relax and laugh?? Then go shopping for cooking utensils! 😉
Hahaha…you are right Patty! For sure! 🙂 Love it! So glad to have met you…you are great! We have family in TX and NY too…so funny! Glad you liked Seattle….sure is beautiful! I’m not partial or anything though! 🙂
Haha, oh no! Not at all! You’re as partial to Seattle as I am to Bailey! 😉
Haha 😉
Nice shots! I want to think that I contributed to these photos in some way other than driving there and eating your ice cream, no? It may be my creativity which migrates over to your head…
No, that’s why I put tin foil on top of my head. To block your brain waves from interfering with mine. Just kidding. 😉 You’re so supportive when we go on our trips. You let me run around and keep me from falling off cliffs or getting run over. I love it! ♡♡♡
Great Pics Patty…!
Enjoy the days of great memories…!
Thanks and same to you, Tahir!
You too welcome.. 😉
What beautiful shots 🙂
Thanks, Elaine!
Zebras?! What?! Pacific Grove looks beautiful – I’ve only been to LA, and it wasn’t really my kind of scene, but Pacific Grove on the other hand – I need to get there one day!
Love the Father-Daughter pic too, and of course Bailey on his travels. Snazzy jumper, Billy has a similar one with a graphic print on it, but because of his skinny whippet back end it falls off him sometimes, but then the smaller size would not have fitted his deep chest. I feel a sewing project coming on before next winter rolls around!
Yes, zebras! They were so random! I’m more of a Nor Cal girl than a So Cal one. The pace up here is much more my style! I think you’d really enjoy Pacific Grove, Anna. You’ll have to visit one day and then tell me all about it!
That’s so cute about Billy. I would make Bailey custom fitted clothing if I could sew, but I can’t so he’ll just have to be jealous of Billy!
Great photos!! I especially love the homes– my husband and Iove driving around looking at houses!! 🙂
Thanks, Josette! Isn’t driving around so relaxing? We love it!
Thanks for the virtual trip Patty:D I thoroughly enjoyed every stop along the way! Those homes in Carmel are something else!
My pleasure, Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And yes, I need to come into some major money so I can purchase one of those homes! This teacher’s salary is not going to cut it! 😉
Thanks for sharing about your travels and wonderful photos! That zebra photo is great, and I love those adorable homes in Carmel–they really are storybook-style homes! Photos of Bailey are always sweet to look at, too! 🙂
Yes, Bailey photos are always my favorite! He is snuggled up in my lap as I am responding to you!
Great pictures, Patty. Love that you travel so much. Have fun on your upcoming trips. Love to Bailey too. 🙂
Bailey says woof and is blowing kisses your way!
Lovely shots of Pacific Grove, I miss Nor. Cal. so! How fun to attend the Grammys too!
Yes, we got to see a lot of the behind the scenes action at the Grammys. It sure is not as glamorous as they make it out to be on tv!!
I so enjoyed looking at these photos, Patty. They make me want to drive down the California coast right now. I’ve only been to Monterey once (it took me 10 years of living in the Bay Area to get there!) and have never seen Pacific Grove or Carmel, but it looks beautiful from those photos. My husband has an academic “year” too, but our schedules keep conflicting so we haven’t gone on a trip in a while. I’m thinking a weekend getaway in Pacific Grove is in order!
Oh yes, you definitely need to plan a getaway as soon as possible, Ngan! I feel the need for another one already! I can’t wait to try your Portland recommendations soon!
Beautiful pictures! It’s like official tourism photos. And very cute looking houses and great dress as well!
Aww thanks! What nice compliments to get me through the rest of today! 🙂
Those mountains as a backdrop to Pacific Grove look pretty spectacular. Actually, so do those houses!
Thanks, Johnny! 🙂
Ahhhmazing! 😁
Thanks, T!
😊
There is a chance we may move to CA… wow, I hope we do. So many beautiful places to see. Your evening dress for the Grammy Awards is beautiful; you look stunning. What type of teaching do you do (and it’s nice you can have some time off of work for vacationing!).
Hi Shanna! Yes, CA has so many beautiful places to visit. 🙂 I have been a high school English teacher for five years now! I love it!
My aunt just retired after teaching English in LA for many years. 🙂 Beautiful blog, Patty!
Congrats to your aunt on her retirement! That is quite an achievement!
I enjoyed these pictures. We lived in CA when I was a child, remember those beautiful landscapes and big waves.