Orange County Fun Even With No Sun

Wow, we sure had a blast in Southern California this weekend. Craig traveled from Chicago, and I met him in Pasadena. I took Pilates with two very fit and inspiring ladies (87 and 84 years old)! When I asked my mom why she is so healthy at 84, she always said exercise. Her advice is always to keep moving! Walking, gardening, Pilates, yoga, weight training—she does it all. Hopefully, her strong genes run through me as well!

Do you work out? If so, what is your favorite activity and why?

Success in So Cal & Orange County

It was just our luck to fly to Southern California from Seattle, only to have gray skies, cool temperatures, and drizzly days. However, if you listen to my podcast from our Epic Road Trip in Arizona, it rained there as well! I offered you a verbal essay on my thoughts about rain, so honestly, when you come from a climate with rain, you don’t care if you encounter a little rain on your vacation. 

However, I would’ve liked it to be slightly more sunny. Mr. Sun did make a showing a couple of times. We certainly had a wonderful time, saw many people we care about, and ate some really great food. I will start this newsletter with our superb dining and then move on to some other things I have discovered in the last couple of weeks.

Orange County Dining Discoveries

 

We enjoyed a double birthday dinner with dear friends at The Quiet Woman in Corona Del Mar, which opened in 1965. The food was delicious, and inside, it felt “quiet” with a great vibe. This restaurant is a favorite with the birthday boy Troy. He and his family have been enjoying special meals here for decades. With all the choices available in Orange County, it is a challenge to visit every great restaurant, but wow, this was outstanding! Thanks, Troy!

 

New Baby!

I also helped to celebrate a new baby at a gorgeous baby shower! It felt great to be back in Orange County, where we raised our kids for 27 years. Watching my friends’ kids have children is joyous for me as well!

 

One more restaurant of note

Slightly north of Orange County, in the Naples area of Long Beach, we met our son Nick (Wife Kylie was in London on business) at another new restaurant called Marlena. Run, don’t walk to this fantastic place! Our daughter-in-law Kylie couldn’t be there, but once again, she curated the perfect dining experience. We were the lucky ones!

The food and drink

Extremely creative craft cocktails, thoughtful preparation, and local Mediterranean-style ingredients. Everything was made in-house, from the Vanilla Syrup for the Vanilla Latte to the Eggs Benedict Pizza fresh from their wood-fired oven. The flavor combinations were unusual yet so perfect. It was my dream brunch!

 

Links of Interest!

Speaking of restaurants, I read that Canlis, a prominent restaurant in Seattle, is closing on the weekends this summer so their employees can take the weekend off. What are your thoughts? As a loyal restaurant visitor, I am not sure I like this philosophy. With Craig working long hours, the weekend is the time for us to celebrate by dining out. Check out the article HERE! 

No More Black Shoes?

I found So Susie on Instagram last year, and everything she wears, I want to wear, too. I subscribe to her newsletter and buy from her Instagram account. She just sent her newsletter and posed this question: I Stopped Buying Black Shoes, Here’s Why.  What are your thoughts about matching your shoes? This concept resonated with me. I am not very tall, so her theory of a neutral shoe makes sense. What do you think?

Up next on the Travel Connections Podcast:

The Perfect Day at the Seattle Center. The road trip episode in Arizona was so popular I wanted to follow up with a recent day trip with travel besties from California. Such great ideas if I do say so! 

Have a great weekend,

Suzanne