5.04.2010

Scenes from The Weekend -- California Edition...





Have you ever loved a place so much that being there makes you, well...sort of melancholy?

That's pretty much the situation with me and California.

Most of my childhood memories are so tied up in the hallmarks of this place that, anytime I visit, I'm struck with a homesickness for my youth so strong it makes me achy.

And I happened to be there this weekend.

I went with a group of other (incredibly funny, brilliant, lovely) moms from Audrey's school, and I fear I may have been a bit morose for the first day or so, as I was in the grips of this weird thing that California does to me (+ I was missing Bryan and the girlies dreadfully...I'm so into those girlies of mine of late.)

But amidst all my internal struggle, the trip was fantastic and, yet again, reinforced my belief in women and how utterly amazing they are...

Kristie, Whitney, Stacy, Molly, Shannon, Cristy, Kay and Michelle. Thanks for a stellar weekend!







17 comments:

Rachel said...

Mmmmm...lovely.

As a native (and current) California, I admit to being biased. And Santa Barbara is particularly lovely.

Kendra said...

You came for such a lovely weekend!

mmmm. love the french press!

I'm a transplant and have totally been converted. I'm always trying to convince my friends everywhere else (even those with no intention of moving) that they really NEED to be in California!

Estelle Hayes said...

Well Santa Barbara is perfection. Hard not to ache for all it has to offer. Totally get your nostalgia. I grew up in Northern California and still live here and I too get that feeling from time to time. This state has ghosts all over the place.

Helena - A Diary of Lovely said...

Oh California, A place Id love to live for sure!

Fern and Feather said...

those are the weekends that refresh me as a mommy and make me so grateful. beautiful pictures.

elizabeth said...

lovely photos! the same thing happens to me when i go back to north carolina... so i totally know what you mean

Ana Degenaar said...

I know exactly how you feel, my daughter and I are taking a trip back home this summer and I have mixed feelings, one one side I feel thrilled that I'll be seeing family and friends again, on the other side I'm scared that coming back the homesickness will get deeper. I miss being at a place that looks familiar and brings memories. There's no place like home.
♥ I love the photos, thanks for sharing!

seesaw designs said...

oh wow, i have memories from my childhood in california too and love it the same way. luckily i'm really close (just 5 hours or so away) and my older sis lives there so i visit as often as possible. it's such a beautiful place. glad you had a nice weekend!

-angela

Heather MK said...

I get that feeling too - that homesick sort of ache. It is almost too much to bear sometimes, and yet worth it in every way.
Thanks for writing & sharing! I am a new reader & I like your blog an awful lot!

klarakapucine said...

Nice to read about your love for my hometown Amsterdam.
warm regards, Karin

Anonymous said...

i loooove the french press in sb!! my hubby & i started daydreaming about opening up a little coffee shop after spending a couple hours in that shop. glad you had fun in cali!

Leslie said...

Ah, I'd love a girls trip.

Kristen said...

Wow. Your pictures brought back that very same achy homesickness you speak of -- I went to high school in small town just north of SB, and I spent my high school weekends shopping on State Street and enjoying the beach. I'm still hoping to end up there one day!

Thanks for sharing!

iheartkiwi said...

i love santa barbara... my girlfriends and i did a wine tasting by bicycle with the santa barbara adventure company for my bachelorette party last year.

weekend with my favorite female friends always leave me feeling rejuvenated. it sounds like you had a wonderful time!

Elle Sees said...

I've never been to this part of CA and it looks lovely.

SY said...

Ahh, I went to UCSB and haven't been back to Santa Barbara in way too long. Your pictures bring back very fond memories of my 5 years in SB, especially the travel agency photo, I used to work at a shop right across the street from there. I think it's time we took the kids for a end of school year treat...I'm planning it already!

Heather Taylor said...

well this is dreamy