Truly Golden
Our “San Francisco” trip didn’t even take us to San Francisco. The closest we got was crossing over this beauty on our way to our Airbnb. Sometimes we choose to leave out things because we can’t do it all and our life on the road is just that life, not a vacation. We will come back for this sweet city another time but had an amazing time circling its surroundings.
Pleasant Hill
We drove from Yosemite to Pleasant Hill and we were so excited to see our friends Robin, Ryan, Lacey, and Josie. I went to college with Robin and time available to see great friends when you live states apart is never enough. We were happy to relax at their house after many nights in a cozy hotel eating at restaurants. The kids ran around and were wild as usually but adored Lacey and Josie. When we left the house they immediately asked for another play date. The one thing about traveling is the kids are really solo, they have their siblings but no buddies to play with. I think sometimes this is hard for them so it was great to see them making new friends on the road.
The next day we met up at Mt. Diablo State Park. Wow! I decided to drive that day and the road was insane, s-curves, blind corners, steep cliffs, and more curves, winding up Mt. Diablo, no guardrails and lots of bikers! The views were amazing, it seemed like you could see all the way to the ocean. Once on top, we found “Rock City,” trails and rock formations which the kids had a blast climbing on. The day was sunny and beautiful and we hiked to Sentinal Rock. Ryan quickly ascended the steep steps with Josie the adventurer but it was a little much with the steep drop-offs for my comfort zone for our kids. I made it to the top with some encouragement but didn’t stay long! Robin and Lacey braved the climb as well, impressive.
It was great to see our friends and sad to say goodbye but I’m so happy to have these moments and to see our kids become friends as well. From here we headed to Cupertino, a slight detour before getting to our next stay at Muir Beach.
Cupertino – Apple HQ
You could call us Apple fanatics, especially Matt, but we both LOVE Apple. The HQ made us fall in love even more. When you first enter there is a 3-D model of the entire facility and you are given an iPad which transforms the model into an interactive virtual space. You can enter the buildings and get a feeling of what it is like without moving. Pretty amazing technology. The kids were mesmerized by the computers, iPads, and phones and the employees were very knowledgeable showering us with interesting facts. 100% of all Apple facilities in the US and abroad are powered by renewal energy, an incredible dedication to more than just the products they produce. Seeing an enormous company substantially reduce their carbon footprint and approach sustainability with creativity and innovation makes me want to strive to do better as an individual.
We arrived at our Airbnb after winding down the mountain. The curves almost make me car sick but at the same time, it is such a beautiful place I enjoy the swirling road and mountain views as well. Our Airbnb was the perfect place to enjoy a quieter side of the San Francisco area. We crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge but that’s about as close as we made it to the city. Sometimes its good to settle in and live the local life. We enjoyed the ocean every day even in chilly weather, tide pooling and sea glass searching. We visited friends and family, the kids reconnected with their cousin Lily while searching for anemones and we had a great dinner with our cousins Daryl, Cassidy, Lily and Aunt Beth. It is great to connect with family we don’t see very often. We also spent time catching up on school, playing games, relaxing and enjoying our little beach house.
Muir Woods
We just came from seeing some Sequoias in Yosemite but this place has so many enormous trees it gives you an entirely different feeling. Large ferns are coming to life again with spring and everything is green and lush. Looking up is as incredible and the trees reach so far it almost makes you dizzy. We had a great hike through the towering trees, and it is amazing to see this natural wonder preserved on the edge of an enormous city.
A double dose of Pizza with the Pisaturo’s
I met Sabine and Mimmo while studying in Italy and although that was a long time ago everytime we see each other its as if not a moment has passed. A few more kids, and laugh lines but all the love is always there. We were lucky to have the World Famous Pizza Napolitano made by the Pisaturos, they should probably open a restaurant so you can try it. Soooo yummy! The kids made new friends and we enjoyed a few nights laughing together. We’re hoping next time we meet up is sooner than later!
Stinson Beach
We ventured over to Stinson Beach to visit Aunt Beth and her dog Gracy. It was much colder than we anticipated but this didn’t stop the kids from getting wet. The beach is beautiful, a gorgeous sandy beach which stretches for what seems miles. The cool thing is we found quite a few sand dollars. I’ve always looked for sand dollars but generally only come across pieces. I think we either had a lucky day or this is the beach to come for sand dollars. We will remember this beautiful, flat sandy beach and hopefully come back when it’s a bit warmer someday.
Bay Area Discovery Museum
The kids always have a blast at museums and this is a great one with so many hands-on activities. They built 3-D objects with cardboard. (no photos unfortunately) Made safety gear headbands and built a pod racer of some sort. It was also a gorgeous day which made the open air museum and playground extra enjoyable.
