Date Day: Part One — Half Moon Bay

Saturday we went on a date day down the coast [I know, I know, you’re all shocked]. We used our new Fastrak gadget [a debit thingy that allows you to zip through the toll lines at the bridges here] on the San Mateo Bridge for the first time, then sat in lots of traffic going over the peninsula hills because it was Saturday and gorgeous out and who wouldn’t want to go to the ocean. I mean, really, this is why we all live in California.

Our friend George had a gig at a café in Half Moon Bay that we tried to catch but we were late because of the traffic and me screaming STOP HERE!!!! when I spotted the BERRIES 99¢ sign at the honey + produce stand.

99¢ is a third what blackberries and blueberries cost over on our side of the bay and corn was 10/$1 so you’d better believe we stocked up. In case you didn’t hear me, that’s TEN CENTS FOR AN ENTIRE EAR OF CORN.

And there was lots of local honey.

When we got downtown, George was already headed out, so we said hi then picked up some picnic provisions at the deli and did a little window shopping on Main Street. I loved this under the sea wedding cake:

While Chad was picking out cheese, I ran across the street for a fix at The Posh Moon, which is a lovely little boutique run by a seriously francophilic [?] mother and daughter and is wall-to-wall floor-to-ceiling romantic neutral bohemian etc. clothing and accessories and some housewares, many of which are made by locals — I’m just in love with this girl Effie’s line that they carry. Anyway. It is the sweetest place and I just love walking in there. I bought a green silk summer blouse and a tiny pewter blowfish made by an artist in Rhode Island — I’ll try to take a picture of it later because it’s about the cutest little figurine ever.

I snapped a shot of their ribbon flower hair clips as a reminder, there’s an excellent book at our library about making these and it’s something I keep meaning to do. But you should go buy some, they’re very affordable.

I shall return with part two of our day.

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Swimming pool Q

What’s your ideal day?

This is what I like:

A bit of a drive with my favorite songs blasting, a bit of food, time with friends, a nice warm blue pool that matches my months-late pedicure, long summer evenings.

Happy Canada Day!

Summer Colour Week on poppytalk — today is red + white for Canada Day — have a cupcake!

It’s Green day!

Summer Colour Week on poppytalk

I finally found my pluots at the farmers market yesterday! I have been waiting for so, so long for them to show up.

[For the unacquainted: pluots are a DELICIOUS plum-apricot hybrid. Try them. You will love them.]

… some souvenirs from recent trips — sea glass from various locales, pebbles from Moonstone Beach …

… bitty sand dollars from Morro Bay …

… a thrifted green elephant …

… and my reflection in the window of the cutest cabin ever in Carmel.

[that last one was a Green Wednesday highlight]

pink! [belated for Monday]

Summer Colour Week on poppytalk

Pink flower’s at Lily’s Café in Cambria, California. There is a whole little row of very cute shops there.

Tea tree lives down the street. they’re Australian natives but do wonderfully here in the Bay Area. So do the eucalyptus.

Yellow!

Summer Colour Week on poppytalk

June 22: Souvenirs — I have an excellent memory.

Mysteriously typewritten fortune from Musée Mechanique in SF, one cookie innard from Yan Flower Restaurant in Santa Cruz, and a ticket and photobooth strip from the boardwalk.

Things we ate this weekend

ham and swiss croissants
fresh OJ
fair trade coffee
bagel
grapes
free bottle of merlot and a very nice note from the folks at the hotel thanking us for our return visit [i guess had our credit card on file?]
BBQed pork tenderloin, chicken, and tri-tip and some sweet island-style pulled pork
clam chowder
garlic bread
bacon cheese bread
strawberry blintzes
bacon
veggie omelette
lots of fancy imported licorice
caramel-wrapped marshmallows
a giant dark chocolate peanut butter cup
oregon bing cherry and coffee-truffle ice cream cones
deep-fried artichoke hearts
grilled meats
peach cobbler

Gwen and Chad, Asilomar

Pretty much any time we go anywhere scenic, at least one person will ask me to take their picture. I take very nice pictures of them. Every once in awhile I will ask someone to take our picture. I say, push the button halfway to focus, then all the way to shoot. I only ask people who are carrying their own cameras and I am pretty sure this is how most digital cameras work, right?

Yet almost invariably, we end up with a completely out of focus, crooked, feet-chopped-off photo. So you can imagine how pleased I was when today’s shooter returned my camera to me. Look at that. Nicely composed with our whole bodies in, heads above the horizon [which, you’ll notice, is not at a 45° angle!]. Thanks, lady stranger, you totally made my day!

[Asilomar State Beach, Pacific Grove, California]

Take it easy

Musical accompaniment: Tinashe – Zambezi (Fool’s Gold Remix)

Summer is obviously coming, a bunch of my friends are posting open road-type photos. I am working every day and it’s going to be ages before I get out like that, so I am living vicariously.

by Kevin Collins, one of flickr’s finest and an island neighbor of mine.

by Gordon Edgar, author of Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge, which you should check out.

by harpy, queen of the polaroid and all things summer.