After rolling ourselves (and luggage) to the airport, we slowed down our rushed pace of the city and headed to the West Coast for a couple nights. Eric and I dream of living on the West Coast some day…it’s on our bucket list. We’ve been planning a visit to So Cal for about a year now, so when we saw a seat sale we figured it was a sign. The best part was that we booked it all with air miles, including our rental car. That was a sweet bonus! Neither of us have ever been to California before so we were pumped.
We booked our hotel once again with Hotwire and got a great deal on the US Grant Hotel.
We were really happy with the hotel. Excellent, friendly service and very clean.
The only thing we didn’t like about the hotel was the noise and single pane windows. It’s located right in the heart of the Gaslamp district (bars and a wild nightlife) and the noise carried through the windows a lot. We put the fan on high before bed and were able to sleep like babies, so it wasn’t a huge issue.
Maybe we’re just getting old.
We picked up some food for snacks and breakfasts to save some money since NYC sucked us dry.
We had a fridge brought up to our room (love that the hotel offered them!). Nut butter, hummus, brown rice cakes, chips, milk, etc. Eric got cereal for breakfast and I picked up some bulk oats, chia seeds, and almond milk and made vegan overnight oats. It worked out perfectly and was cheaper than eating out for breakfast. One thing I noticed right away about California is that the food is much cheaper than at home.
Reunited and it feels so good.
….all hail……BARNEY BUTTER!!!
I hadn’t made VOO in such a long time. I was on a Green Monster kick for the past few months and I forgot how much I LOVE vegan overnight oats. You don’t even need to measure if you don’t want to. I just eyeballed it and it turned out great both times! On the side, I had a package of protein powder mixed with almond milk in a water bottle. Not the best tasting thing in the world (or even easy to get that damn powder into the bottle!), but it worked well to keep my hunger at bay all morning long.
My take on eating while traveling is pretty simple. I try to eat a balance of wholesome foods for my main meals (and try new dishes) and then I indulge in some sweet treats and special goodies that I normally wouldn’t be able to try back at home. It all balances out, especially when walking for 6 hours or more each day! And if it doesn’t balance out, no big deal. Life is short.
Morning teas…I had green and Eric black tea.
The weather was picture perfect! Sunshine and an expected high of about 18C. We really lucked out with the weather on this trip…it was almost as if we were travelling in early Fall, not December!
Anyone in the San Diego area want to take us in for a while? Maybe 4 years? I’ll be your live in chef.
We explored Coronado Island to start.
It was just horrible….dirty….don’t go here.
heh…just kidding.
We saw the famous Hotel Del Coronado right on the beach! I checked the prices for this place and whoa baby, it’s expensive!
Along the bay, with nice views of the SD cityscape.
Then we headed to La Jolla which is only about a 10 minute drive from the downtown core. I’ve always heard that the West Coast is very laid back and it really is! How could you not be if you lived here?
La Jolla took our breath away. My Gosh!!!
We went to the Cove and saw the Harbour Seals! Oh my gosh, I just fell in love with them!!!
Seriously, what magnificent creatures. We watched them for at least 30-45 mins. It’s funny when they get in spats with one another!
heh this guy below was so cute stretched out on his back!! If that’s not a head to toe stretch, I don’t know what is.
Every time the water came up and splashed them they would raise their head and look annoyed.
When Eric and I started to make voices for them, we knew it was time to go. ;)
After exploring for the morning and early afternoon, we had a late lunch in downtown La Jolla at a cafe called Lean & Green. It is extremely vegan friendly with all kinds of options marked vegan on their menu! Definitely check it out if you are in the area. The owner is really nice too!
It was also picked as La Jolla’s best veg restaurant recently.
You can click on the menus below to enlarge.
My customized wrap was great! I stuffed it full with all kinds of veggies (carrot, roasted red pepper, avocado, cukes, tomatoes, red onion, artichokes, shrooms, etc) and hummus.
I had their veggie juice to go with it. Fresh veggie juice is such a treat when travelling. I’m too lazy to make it at home these days and I don’t find it very cost effective in the off season. Smoothies are my drink of choice when at home, but fresh juice all the way on vacation.
See you for Part 2!
PS- Today is the last day to enter the One Lucky Duck Gift Pack giveaway!
Wonderful pics!! I so want to stay at the Coronado Hotel one day if for no other reason than to see the ghost lady. The seals remind me of our visit to Carmel in May. If you haven’t been yet, go! It’s right up your alley! Can’t wait for more pics.
hi there! first comment here, but ive been following you for a while!
I had to comment… i used to live in la jolla and work at the gym that is RIGHT across from lean and green, and then i worked at the lululemon a block away for over a year!!!! all of the lulu girls were OBSESSED with lean and green burritos and miguel the owner used to come into lulu all the time… enjoy SD!!
if you get a chance, go to TAO in north park!!!! they make their own tofu and its pretty cheap for how amazing the food is! lots of vegan options!
Those photos are so, so pretty. I know it might not mean a lot but thank you for your reassurances about holiday food and relaxing a bit with it – it’s one of those stresses that comes with going on holiday, how much you should “allow yourself” to eat – to the extent that you may miss out on actually enjoying yourself.
Thank you!
GREAT pictures! Looks and sounds like a fabulously fun adventure! My family and I went on a tour of CA when I was younger and hit up many of the places you mentioned- including staying at the Hotel Del Coronado! I’m totes thankful for that trip since my budget couldn’t afford it nowadays :P
Looks like you are having an amazing trip!!! Enjoy :)
As a San Diego resident, I can attest to it really being as beautiful as your wonderful photos captured :) And there are so many vegan-friendly places here! Hopefully you made it into the North Park/Hillcrest area and tried places like The Loving Hut and Veg N Out…if not, looks like you’ll just have to come back for another visit ;)
Oh, what gorgeous views! I dream of visiting California someday. So much to see, so little time! :D
Yes, try the Mission! This is my town (well for the last 11 years). Glad you’re out there having fun while I sit at work! Lol! There is so much to do and see and eat in San Diego! For photographry, you will love Balboa Park.
wowww awesome!! I can’t believe that you guys are here in socal!! Well, I’m still 2-2.5 hours away…but that’s cool! And I think I recognize those places. Definitely La Jolla is a must visit! And I can’t believe CA food is cheaper than Canada! Because CA is known to be one of the priciest places to live in overall–including groceries. Have a greeeeatt time guys~
Love the photos. :)
It looks like you had such a great time!
LOVE that you finally got to visit California! Isn’t it wonderful? After growing up in Orange County, spending 4 yrs in the mid-West for college, and then moving back to LA, I know that I could probably never live anywhere else (I’ll travel and visit instead). La Jolla is gorgeous, especially in the winter when the air is crisp. If you ever make it back to CA (or make it your home :-) make sure to take a trip along the CA coast. It’s magnificent!
I love your recap of San Diego!! We live in San Francisco so visiting San Diego is (thankfully) a quick hour plane ride for us since we love it so very much. We loved it so much we had our wedding there at Paradise Point Resort (Mission Bay) and honeymooned there as well. We originally wanted our wedding at the Hotel Del Coronado (gorgeous!) but like you said, waaay too expensive! Can’t wait for part 2! :)
La Jolla is really beautiful! I’m glad you guys had a fun trip. And I love that sweater you’re wearing!
The coastline! Just made me feel peaceful looking at your pictures! Thanks for sharing your holiday :)
Hi Angela! Not sure that I have ever commented on your blog, but I’m the gal who sent you that musical performance a few months back…:-) Wanted to tell you I am enjoying your photos and hey, Santa Cruz is not that far away from southern Cali if you made it this far already! Come on up! We have room to spare! :-)
So glad you got to visit the West Coast! I’m living in LA right now, but I’m originally from San Diego. Isn’t the seal beach the best??! :)
P.S. I absolutely LOVE your recipes!
Beautiful pictures–I am seriously jealous.
After trying overnight oats once and being reminded of a really mediocre muesli recipe I tried before, I kind of gave up on them but I think I’m going to give em another shot, and I think adding some peanut butter or something exciting (I will check out recipes) might help…thanks for the reminder to try something new! Seeing the same old same old cereal in my pics is getting beyond boring…
I thought those pictures looked familiar! My husband and I just moved to La Jolla in July, and we love it so much. Especially the seals! :)
Last year, we booked the Grant Hotel through Hotwire and loved it, too! It was great to see your pictures of it since our camera was stolen at the end of the trip :(