Heading to the hills

The Roamers travel to the mountains. Lots of mountains.

Our time in Seattle finally came to an end. We bid a sad farewell to our friends and a joyful “Later, Sucka!” to our crappy apartment, grabbed a last Seattle coffee, and were on our way.

Our first stop was Medford, Oregon, where we’d stopped for a business meeting on our way up to Portland. It was smoky but fortunately not on fire, so we enjoyed an early dinner and slept fast in order to be on our way early the next morning. We then headed to San Francisco, where I had splurged (with points) on the Hotel Adagio, a Marriott Autograph Collection property that advertised a beautiful rooftop deck. Turned out, though, that the rooftop deck was only available to the guest who reserved the suite that opened on to it. So much for truth in advertising!

This photo might make you think you can visit the rooftop, but you’d be wrong!

Of course we still enjoyed our brief visit to San Francisco, with lots of walking (hills!), a visit to the immersive Van Gogh exhibit (great but overhyped and overpriced), and a wonderful after-dinner drink at John’s Grill, one of the oldest restaurants in town. The 30-something bartender, who hailed from  Argentina, regaled us with stories of the time Jack Lalane visited and punched a waiter in the stomach just to test his strength. He also introduced every 40-something waiter as his son, which cracked us up. 

Van Gogh exhibit

Our next stop was San Luis Obispo, where we’d had lunch on our way north. It was so charming we had to return to see more of it. Again, I splurged with points on a Marriott property, and this time we were not disappointed. While we had to wait almost two hours for our room to be ready (staffing issues), we were given drink vouchers so headed to the bar to wait. After dinner in the most beautiful interior courtyard we’d ever seen, we headed back to the hotel for a delicious sleep.

Our Vespera Resort room in SLO

The next morning we couldn’t wait to hit the road, because we were headed to San Diego for another visit with cousins Karyl and Matt–and nephew Connor was there, too! As usual, their hosting would impress Pearl Mesta, and we had a wonderful, albeit too short, couple of nights with these dear ones.

Dinner by the pool with wonderful cousins

Just one of the weird sights en route to Las Vegas

Our next stop on the way to Denver was Las Vegas, a place we normally don’t like. But this time we were excited to visit dear friends Pilar and Rene, whom we met as Boston neighbors. Our hotel was another splurge, the Delano, where we had a beautiful suite with two bathrooms.

Our sweet Delano suite

Before heading to dinner at Pilar and Rene’s we visited Skyfall, the bar on the 64th floor of our hotel. Naturally, we had to have Vesper martinis!

Vesper martini at Skyfall. What a view!

We had an unforgettable evening and fabulous dinner with Rene, Pilar, and their beautiful rescue dog Jet. They promised to visit us when we settle in Montpellier (well, probably not Jet), so our farewell was not so sad. Early the next morning we set out for Denver, our home for the next month.

Driving to Denver

Our apartment was everything we’d hoped for, and a wonderful change from the Seattle place: affordable, convenient, in good repair, and with a dedicated parking spot. We had one day to settle in before leaving for a business conference in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Coeur d’Alene view from our hotel room the first day

We arrived and checked in before boarding the boat for a dinner cruise, where we spent the evening getting acquainted with the other attendees and their spouses. The next day we were astonished to look out the window and see smoke from the California wildfires. It was so strong we could smell it!

Same view, second day. Smoky!

Despite the smoke, we had a wonderful time. The town is quaint, the lake beautiful, and the hiking very nice.

My colleague Sally and I on a hike in Coeur d’Alene

Conference over, we bade goodbye to our new CFO friends and headed back to Denver to greet our first guests.

Sunset from the plane. My first business trip in 18 months!

We were excited to welcome our dear friends Danny and Lynn, who spent a couple of nights with us in Denver during their annual August “Get the hell out of Texas” trek. Danny Jones is an extraordinarily gifted artist with whom Phil has studied, and his wife Lynn was the first to welcome us to Wimberley when we were deciding to move there. They quickly became friends-who-are-family, and we had a wonderful time exploring Denver together–especially the Denver Art Museum. 

A painting on display at the Denver Art Museum

After promising to spend time together when we’re in Austin, we said goodbye to Danny and Lynn. Next up was a very, very special visit. Carmen and Michael worked with us over 20 years ago, and we hadn’t seen them (aside from a quick lunch with Michael in 2007) since they left Dallas for their own “Carmichael Travels” adventures. Years later, with Australian citizenship completed, they moved back to California. And they made a special trip to Denver to see us!

The restaurant where we had dinner with Carmen and Michael

They arrived Thursday evening to have dinner at our place, and on Friday we had a wonderful dinner at Le Bilboquet, one of the most beautiful restaurants I’ve ever seen. It was wonderful to pick up where we’d left off, and even better to find we enjoyed them more than ever! We hated saying goodbye but hope to see them again when we’re in Dallas, where Michael works.

Snake River Resort, the site of our CSO retreat

The next week was my big project, the second annual Chief Strategy Officer retreat in Jackson Hole. I’d never been there before, and it did not disappoint.

Yes, we did work while in Jackson Hole!

Gondola ride in the Grand Tetons

The meeting was a success, we had a wonderful time, and I was relieved that all had gone well. Time to head back to Denver! Now that our hosting and business travel were done, we had the luxury of exploring on our own.

A beautiful historic house in Boulder

First up was Boulder, where I’d originally hoped to stay (no good affordable Airbnbs there!). We spent a lovely afternoon lunching, strolling, and tasting local wines.

The following weekend we made a day trip to Colorado Springs to see Garden of the Gods and Pike’s Peak.

View from our lunch table at Garden of the Gods

We stopped for lunch at the Garden of the Gods Resort. What a view! But it was just a preview of what we saw as we drove and hiked the site. It’s truly a not-to-be-missed experience. 

Sandy hiking at the Garden of the Gods

But wait, there’s more! I drove us to the top of Pike’s Peak!!! It was terrifying. And when we reached the summit and got out of the car, we had to sit right down and rest. At over 14,000 feet, the air at the summit has only half the oxygen at sea level, and we were seeing stars. 

A dizzying height, indeed!

After a snack and rest, Phil drove us safely down. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience (meaning I’ve done it once and never need to do it again!).

Denver Botanic Gardens water feature

The next day, with our feet firmly on the ground, we visited the Denver Botanic Gardens. This proved to be one of our favorite experiences in Denver, and possibly the most beautiful botanical gardens we’ve ever seen.

seattle

The good, the bad, and the sad.

We reluctantly left France and returned (20 hour trip!) to our hot quarters in Seattle. It had cooled off a bit, so we decided to make the best of the next four weeks. To be completely honest, we never got over grumbling about our overpriced Airbnb. In addition to no a/c except for the portable unit in the bedroom, it had a hole in the bathroom, the tiniest kitchen, lots of traffic noise, and no parking. I thought I was very clever avoiding the $1000+ cost of parking nearby by finding a parking lot through Neighbor for $200. However, the  outdoor, 24/7-accessible lot turned out to be a condo resident’s garage space. To access it we had to walk, take a bus, walk more, and call the host’s roomate (host was out of town) to come let us in and out. 

Don’t be fooled by the cute photo. This was not a wonderful Airbnb.

We nonetheless settled back in to our apartment, and Phil set up his “studio.” He takes over the dining table in each of our Airbnbs, and honestly, the mess doesn’t bother me at all. . .

Phil’s “studio”

Our first stop was Pike Place Market, where I was astonished to find these gigantic morels! I used to forage for them in Oklahoma with Phil’s dad, and they’re a favorite indulgence for our whole family.

Gigantic morels!

I made them into a wonderful risotto, which we had that evening. The market, despite being a total tourist trap, has excellent local produce, meat and fish, and artisanal offerings, and it’s worth fighting the crowds. 

I forgot to take a picture before I started eating!

Seattle is a beautiful city, but like Portland, it’s suffering right now. While we saw far fewer urban tent communities than in Portland, the people lviing on Seattle streets seemed far more damaged, with so many experiencing major mentall illness. We couldn’t walk a quarter mile without encountering someone shouting obscenities or gibberish. It was sad and disheartening, and we felt helpless to make any meaningful impact.

Beautiful hydrangeas blooming next to broken people.

The one positive of our overpriced, hot, shabby apartment was its location. We were at the foot of Capitol Hill and frequently trudged up that steep hill to discover funky shops, tatoo parlors, S&M supply businesses–and also some great restaurants and coffee bars.

Demon Queen in a shop window

Seattle is also a wonderful city for art lovers. There is art everywhere! We enjoyed several art museums, but honestly, by just walking around the city we saw spectacular art.

A beautiful Seattle building

We loved a special Monet exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, “Monet at Etretat.” I’d visited the museum once before with dear friend Cathy, when they were showing the Stein Collection (works owned by Gertrude Stein and her brother Leo) and was delighted to rediscover some of the permanent exhibit works I’d enjoyed years earlier.

I was moved by this sculpture in the Frye Art Museum 

With friends Sue and Mitch we visited the Museum of Pop Culture (the cool kids call it MoPop), located in Seattle Center, the arts, education, and entertainment center originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair. There was so much to enjoy, but my favorite was the Disney Princess gowns in the “Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume” exhibition. 

Mary Poppins costume

Guitar sculpture just outside the MoPop Jimi Hendrix exhibit

We of course had to sample numerous Seattle restaurants. We had a wonderful Mexican lunch with Sue and Mitch, a memorable tapas dinner with friends Liz and Rob, and a best-in-class burger with Gail & Dave and Sue & Mitch. We also dined solo; one special experience recommended by our son was the Pink Door, near Pike Place Market. With no sign and only a. . .wait for it. . .pink door to identify it, this restaurant is also a performance art piece. During our visit there was no trapeze performance, just a Zydeco band. If you have a chance to visit, don’t miss it!

Beautiful and delicious shared appetizer at the Pink Door

After one particularly long, hot, hilly walk we were in dire need of refreshment and stopped in at Ba Bar. It’s known for its pho and craft cocktails. We shared a refreshing salad and indulged in cocktails that were so good we planned to return! But we ran out of time. . .

My basil cocktail with a cute clothespinned basil garnish

But by far the best thing about our time in Seattle was dear friends. We especially loved our time with Sue and Mitch, who hosted us for a delicious dinner on the deck overlooking their wonderful garden, let us park our car at their house after we gave up on our discount parking hack, invited us to join them at Shakespeare in the Park (“Midsummer Night’s Dream”!), met us for long walks and restaurant meals, treated us to a special restaurant dinner celebrating their son Chris’s birthday, acted as our chauffeurs, and provided advice on fun things to do. Together since junior high, they are my high school friends, and Sue is one of my “Wild Women” group, eleven high school friends who gather annually for a Wild Women’s Weekend.

Sue and Mitch at the birthday dinner

We had some other fun times: visited two botanical gardens, took ferries to Bainbridge Island and Whidbey Island, enjoyed a glass of wine on the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle winery, wandered through pretty much every neighborhood in Seattle, visited possibly the best bakery in Seattle, and much more. 

Coupeville Wharf on Whidbey Island

So while Seattle had some bad (HEAT! Remember it was 107 when we arrived–and no a/c?!) and some sad (urban stress and homelessness), our experience there reminded us just how fortunate we are. We are filled with gratitude for wonderful lifelong friends, our adventurous life, and our ability to live our best lives together. Next up: on to southern California, Las Vegas, and Denver!

We went to france!

A reconnaissance trip to our future home

In the “before times” we planned a July 2020 visit to Montpellier, France. Our European kids would join us at a lovely, large apartment for a week, where we would celebrate our daughter’s July 4 birthday and explore the city. That didn’t happen, of course, but as soon as France opened to Americans, we rebooked. Our kids couldn’t come, so we revised our plans to explore what we anticipate will be our future home. We had already retained Renestance, a “renesting” consultancy founded by a Californian expat who decided to share her acquired expertise, to help us plan and execute our move. 

We were beyond excited to get there and see the city we’d never visited but through research had decided was right for us. Our plan is to spend the first year there, traveling around France and the rest of Europe, before deciding whether and where to settle down. We had moved into our Seattle Airbnb just in time to “enjoy” the heat wave before boarding our plane.

Air France will not allow you to sleep on the floor!

We arrived Friday afternoon, grabbed an Uber, and quickly encountered our first problem: since our Airbnb was in a pedestrian-only area, the driver didn’t know where to drop us. So he just dropped us off by the highway! There we stood, two puzzled Americans dragging luggage, when a van pulled up. Turned out we were next to the police station, and the van guys work for the mairie’s (mayor’s) office. They spoke virtually no English, and my French is abominable, but somehow we managed to communicate via random words and gestures. These two lovely gentlemen spent the next half hour with us, taking our bags and leading us to a parking garage elevator that opened onto the pedestrian mall, then waiting with us, texting our host, until contact was made. Anyone who thinks the French are unfriendly has not traveled with us! We have only had wonderful experiences with French people–helpful, kind, and gracious every time.

The view from our Montpellier terrace

Our eighth-floor apartment was small, nothing fancy, but we had a lovely little terrace with a view. We quickly unpacked and headed to the nearby Monoprix to grab a few essentials. I needed body lotion so stopped in at the pharmacie, where I managed to misread the label and spend $60 by mistake!

Smells nice, but not worth $60!

We walked to the Place de la Comedie, the main square of Montpellier just around the corner, and stopped at one of the outdoor cafes for a quick dinner before an early bedtime. We had to stave off jetlag because the next morning we were meeting one of the Renestance consultants for a walking tour of the city!

Carousel at the Comedie

A Montpellier pigeon finishes its lunch.

The next morning we met our tour guide, Wim, at the Fountain of the Three Graces and proceeded to an outdoor cafe for coffee and The Perusing of the Maps. Wim gave us the lay of the land, explained the various Montpellier neighborhoods, and recommended some places we could happily live.  Then we proceeded to walk the city, seeing the sights, hearing stories, and learning about our soon-to-be-adopted city.

I love how the streets are decorated!

We saw monuments, fountains, statues, parks, and wonderful street scenes. We walked through an exceptional market where we will definitely be shopping. And we saw so, so much wonderful street art! Wim explained that Montpellier was founded by Protestants who didn’t like to display their wealth, so they installed very few windows in their mansions. Years later, many of these plain buildings were enhanced by trompe l’oeil “facades” that are fascinating, and sometimes disorienting.

On the right side of the building some of Montpellier’s trompe d’oeil art. It looks real, doesn’t it?

Montpellier reminded us of Paris in many respects, especially the Haussmann architecture, the plentiful and beautiful fountains, and the lovely squares. But it’s much smaller and easy to navigate, has lots of sunny days, and is close to both the sea and the mountains. Add the fact that it’s a university town (Nostradamus was expelled from medical school here!) and has lots of culture and frequent festivals, and you can see why we chose it unseen!

Isn’t this door knocker delightful?

An artist known as Monsieur BMX has installed these bikes in buildings all over Montpellier!

The next day we decided to visit the sea. Don’t call the Mediterranean Sea an ocean; that’s a rookie mistake! We took some time to figure out logistics but were successful taking the tram (free on weekends!) and then a bus. We got off the bus too soon so walked the rest of the way. It was hot, so we didn’t spend a ton of time there, but the beach was beautiful and lots of families were enjoying it–crabbing, swimming, and (topless) sunbathing. 

Fun times at the sea!

Part of the justification for this trip was our 40th anniversary. Since we no longer want or need “stuff,” we celebrate with experiences. And of course we needed a fine dining experience in Montpellier! We found that at le Lab, which came highly recommended by Wim. 

First course: I think it was an egg dish. Exceptional!

There is no menu at le Lab. French chef Rayan and his Philipino wife Katrina met in Dubai while working at a five-star restaurant, Wim explained, and now Rayan uses fresh local ingredients to create a multi-course feast, while Katrina hosts and recommends wines. We were seated in a lovely courtyard overlooked by a saint (yep, statue in a church). 

Second course; it had beans and croutons, and was delicious!

After selecting wines and enjoying an amuse bouche, the games began. Each course was spectacular! Rayan came out with each one and explained (in English!) what we were eating. I wish I had a menu, as I’ve forgotten much of it.

This dish was all about tomato–broth, foam, a “tomato”–and I think seaweed ash. My favorite!

Each dish was meticulously prepared, and it was mostly vegetable based. Unlike our experience with tasting menus in the US, we didn’t walk away miserably stuffed!

The only real meat course was veal, with carrots two ways and a delicious broth.

By dessert we’d finished a bottle of wine and ordered champagne for a celebratory dessert. Such an amazing and unforgettable meal! We’ll definitely be back.

Portland

Yep, it’s still weird. And wonderful.

The thing to understand about Portland, our nephew Connor explained at our first dinner together, is that it’s all about the neighborhoods. We were dining at Hat Yai, a highly rated Thai restaurant in the Vernon neighborhood, part of Portland’s Alberta Arts District. Highly walkable and filled with restaurants, bars, and interesting shops (tattoos! bars with psychics! cannabis shops with funny names!), it was a fun area to explore. Our home for the month is in downtown, more specifically the Portland State University neighborhood. It’s a lovely area, with a food truck pod just around the corner offering a world culinary tour–Indian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Italian, Asian, and more–and lots of shops and restaurants. On the other hand, and I don’t know how to write about this, homelessness here is ubiquitous, with more uban campers than we’ve ever seen anywhere else. Evidence of the early 2021 riots is prominent, with many boarded-up buildings, along with businesses that were forced to close due to the pandemic. It’s hard to walk the city without feeling a mix of heartbreak and hope, grief and joy.

We face east but still get a reflected sunset view

Carry-out Thai from Chef Q

Portland is an interesting city. Oregon is known for its natural beauty, and Portland for its parks, yet the city has been battered. Most of the parks are still open, but many beautiful buildings await major repairs, and the city struggles to keep up with the trash load. The International Rose Test Garden is in full glorious bloom (and very crowded during our visit!), and on a Sunday the line to enter Powell’s was a full block long. The hilltop views are stunning, shops with boarded-up windows have reopened, and restaurants seem to be flourishing at last.

Mount Hood as seen from the Portland rose gardens

We’ve been walking a lot. There is always something interesting to see on our treks–graduates’ photo shoots in the parks, traditional Portland fashion (think Doc Martens with short black skirts, fishnet tights, bright green hair, black lipstick, plenty of tattoos, and gauged ears), food trucks of every ilk, and tiny-home villages. And when we’ve done a long walk, maybe 5-7 miles, we reward ourselves with a cocktail. And possibly mini corn dogs.

This gorgeous purple cocktail at The Pharmacy goes great with corn dogs!

Our walk to and from the Rose Garden was one of our favorites. We walked almost eight miles that day. The worst part was when people ran past us as we huffed and panted up the steep hills. Undaunted, we took frequent rests and finally made it. The roses were spectacular, and so worth the climb. 

Roses!

We’ve also enjoyed the Saturday farmers’ market nearby. With tons of happy people (masks required) and everything from saffron to gorgeous fresh produce to prepared foods, the only problem was deciding what to buy. On our first trip we splurged on fresh morels. Morels have a special meaning in our family, aside from being delicious. Phil’s dad used to forage for them in a special place in Oklahoma. One of my favorite memories is going out with him and hunting for these unique wild mushrooms. Well, not the poison ivy part, but finding them was like winning the Easter egg hunt. Fresh ones are only available in the springtime, and foragers fiercely guard their secret locations. With our treasure, I tried to recreate a dish we had on our first trip to France–morilles a la creme, or morels in cream on brioche. Delicious!

Morilles a la creme on the terrace

A very special highlight of our time in Portland was celebrating 40 years of marriage! Since we’ll be spending a week in France next month (our gift to each other; more on that later), we decided that a meal at a nice restaurant would be the right celebration for June 6. I found a highly rated tapas restaurant, Urdaneta, and we took the 5:15 pm reservation, the only time available. We arrived and were seated outside under an open-sided shelter, where we ordered cocktails and pintxos. And then. . .down came the rain. The wind was so strong it blew my fork across the table, sent the menu flying down the street, and quickly soaked the back of Phil’s shirt. We were laughing so hard we almost didn’t hear when the server came out to move us inside! Once inside and cozy, we gradually dried out while enjoying a wonderful meal. 

Rain-soaked anniversary Phil

Another fun adventure was lunch at the Topaz Farm on Sauvie Island. We’d heard about it from nephew Connor and his partner April, and since we love seeing where our food comes from, we jumped at the first opportunity to visit. Sauvie Island, about the size of Manhattan, is about ten miles north of Portland and sits at the confluence of the Willammette and Columbia Rivers. It’s beautiful, a mix of agricultural and wildlife areas, with nary a gas station on the entire island. We bought sandwiches and wine and proceeded to the picnic area, followed by a visit to the farm animals–chickens, a giant turkey, ducks, a calf, donkeys, and our favorite, goats! After chatting with the critters we walked around the farm and came upon an educational garden sponsored by non-profit Sauvie Island Center, where volunteers were hard at work. We learned about their methods and were invited to help ourselves to flowers and fruit. 

A friendly Topaz farm goat!

We have been so very fortunate. All our travels so far have been educational, safe, and fun. This life suits us to a tee, and we feel grateful each day to be living it. We have about a week and a half left in Portland before we head to Seattle. Stay tuned!

Flowers from the farmers’ market

 

Santa Rosa, part two

Do we really have to leave?

Wow, how we have loved our time in Santa Rosa! During our month there we fell more deeply in love with the climate, the geography, our apartment–and, ok, the wine. Since I was working (and we were spending all our money on wine), we didn’t dine out much, but the restaurants we did visit were quaint, locally owned, and fun.

The decor at the Omelette Express was fascinating.

A neighbor’s artichokes growing by the sidewalk: tempting!

Sonoma County is wine heaven. One could spend a lifetime there and not get around to all the wineries–but in our month we did our best!

One of many beautiful wineries in the area

We had a lot of fun exploring some of the towns in the valley. Healdsburg was our favorite, but we also loved Sebastopol and Sonoma. And of course, we walked most days. I’ll never tire of seeing so many flowers, many of which I don’t recognize.

This flower was about six inches in diameter; any idea what it is?

In Sonoma we walked the town, had a wonderful lunch at The Girl and the Fig, and visited a couple of tasting rooms. Those visits only added to the challenge of packing up the car–we bought way too much wine!

Jeff Cohn self-serve wine tasting with marble stoppers; Girl & the Fig menu (and bread!); fish at Sinskey Winery

Finally, our time in Santa Rosa was over, so we packed up the car (with great difficulty, but we got all the wine in!) and headed out. We took a few days to get to Portland, and it was a magical trip. Just outside of Brentwood, we started seeing pick-your-own cherry orchards, so of course we had to stop. The orchard was beautiful, with lots of children playing among the trees while the adults competed with birds for the best cherries. We harvested two pounds in about ten minutes!

Cherry picking

Munching cherries along the way, we proceeded to Yosemite, which I’d never visited before. The traffic on the winding road was a bit daunting, and the line to enter the park (with a required reservation) was long. After a 45 minute wait, we were granted entry, and off we went to explore. My first view of the Half Dome was astonishing–people actually climb that! We saw huge, gorgeous waterfalls, and we hiked some of the easier trails. It was all beautiful, although crowded, and we left in plenty of time to get to our destination for the night, Sacramento, before dark. 

Half Dome at Yosemite

The next morning we got an early start, as we’d be driving through the Redwood Forests en route to Medford, Oregon, where I had a business meeting the next morning. Deep into the no-internet and no-cell service zone, a park ranger informed us that the road south of Crescent City, at the Last Chance Grade,  was closed until 5pm. So we decided to make the most of it and spend more time among the redwoods. We hiked the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail, which was indescribably beautiful. We learned that these redwoods are the tallest living things on earth, and without the efforts of conservationists they would have been destroyed by logging. 

Giant redwoods make Phil look tiny

The road opened up at 5pm, and after an hour traffic delay we were back on the road. On a particularly winding part of the road, where I was driving very slowly, a bear ambled out in front of us! We mutually evaluated each other before the bear decided we were not to be friends and ambled off into the woods. Phil was able to get one decent picture despite some excited fumbling.

This bear was MUCH closer than it appears in the picture!

After my meeting in Medford we hit the road, heading up the Oregon coast to Gold Beach, our stop for the night. And what a stop it was! I’d booked us in the Borghese Garden Room atEndicott Gardens, which exceeded all our expectations. A B&B resembling a boutique hotel, Endicott is a working farm raising flowers and herbs for hosts Kim and Wes Cherie’s skin care line, herbal teas, and food products. Kim operates the on-site spa, while Wes tends the beautiful gardens, and together they prepare and serve their luscious breakfasts. Wes and Kim were superb hosts, and we hated to leave after just one night.

One of the many gardens at Endicott

But we had more miles to travel, so off we went. The drive up the Oregon coast is beautiful, and there are so many quaint beach towns to visit! We took advantage of the many pull-off spots to get pictures and to soak up the beauty of the place.

Just one of many gorgeous views on the Oregon coast

Bandon was our favorite stop, with a candy factory, multiple galleries, and a creamery. There we learned the legend of Face Rock, as we gazed at Ewauna looking up at the moon. We spent an hour there before continuing up the coast to Lincoln City.

Can you see the maiden’s face looking up to the right?

Our hotel in Lincoln City was a delightful surprise, with a fireplace, a huge soaking tub in the bedroom (!), and a gorgeous view of the ocean. We had an excellent dinner at Kyllo’s Seafood and Grill (try the basil martini!) and decided to watch the sun set by the firepit outside our room.

Fire pit! Ocean view!

Santa rosa

City of Roses

After bidding farewell to Hawaii we landed at LAX around 9pm, collected our luggage, and took the shuttle to our airport hotel. Even at 10:00 there was a line to check in! We finally got to our room and slept fast, waking early for the trip to Santa Rosa. We grabbed coffee and walked to the nearby parking garage where Phil was relieved to find our car safe and sound. We had saved hundreds of dollars in parking costs throughNeighbor, which works like an Airbnb for storage, for $172 for a full month! After loading the car, off we went to discover our next adventure. We had a quick lunch stop in San Luis Obispo (super cute town we want to explore!) before arriving at our new home for the next month.

Welcome wine and chocolate from our hosts!

The living room of our home in Santa Rosa

To say we were delighted is an understatement–this place is perfect! On the fifth floor of a 5-story building, our condo has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a beautifully designed kitchen. Oh, and a fireplace! And a balcony! The closest wine tasting room is 150 steps from our building’s front door (yep, I measured), and we can walk downtown to the many restaurants and shops in five minutes.

Sunrise, solitude, and coffee on the balcony make for a blissful morning.

The neighborhood is gorgeous–so many cute homes–and the most flowers I’ve ever seen! “I can’t believe how many roses there are!” I remarked to Phil. Then it dawned on me–duh, we’re in Santa ROSA!

Santa Rosa rose on my morning walk

We’ve tried to take advantage of the beautiful weather and gorgeous area by walking almost every day. One day we took a long hike around a lake and came upon a field full of goats! Our family loves goats (our tradition is to yell “Yo, Goats!” whenever we see one), and they were very kind to pose for me. Also, there was a lot of quite loud farting. By the goats, Phil would like me to clarify.

Things we see on our walks–yard signs, roses, goats (yo!), and cute houses

By far the best part of our time here has been the visit from cousins Karyl and Matt. We always have so much fun with them, and the bond of family is very precious. Determined to cram as much fun as possible into our limited time together, we may have overdone it the first day with three winery visits.

Beautiful cousins!

Phil and I had visited the northern California wine country 13 years ago, and while some things were familiar, a lot has changed. Most wineries now require reservations, and the cost of tastings has gone up! We shared a $55 tasting in Napa and accidentally bought a $75 bottle of wine (we thought we were buying the $30 one, which is still far more expensive than our customary Two Buck Chuck), so after that we stuck to Sonoma County, which is less expensive and less crowded. Our first tasting with Karyl and Matt was at Breathless, which was founded by three sisters and specializes in sparkling wines. 

Breathless tasting with vintage glasses the owners have collected

Vintage Vespa at Breathless Winery

On Mothers’ Day we celebrated together with an early lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Healdsburg, followed by a stroll in the park and, yes, more wine tasting. It was a wonderful long weekend, over far too soon. And now, with only a week left in Santa Rosa, we are already feeling sad about leaving this magical place.

Children in the park chasing giant bubbles on Mothers’ Day: magical!

 

 

 

hawaii, part two

Packing in all of the fun

Our time in Hawaii continued to deliver. We settled in to a relaxed routine, with me rising early (for 4 or 5 am calls!) and Phil sleeping in. While I worked at the desk in the living room, he painted at the dining table. I’ve been asked whether we tire of each other’s constant company, and I think the reasons we don’t are (a) we really love being together and (b) we are like toddlers in parallel play–we can be in the same room but engaged in completely separate activities. We often went for walks or drives after I finished work, to catch up on each other’s day and see the sights. Did I mention that Hawaii is beautiful?

These cattle egrets were ubiquitous–on beaches, in towns, and especially perched atop cattle!

Wild chickens abound in Hawaii. We almost stumbled over this mama and her chicks!

And no, we didn’t spend all of our time on Oahu! On consecutive weekends we visited the Big Island (Hawaii) and Kauai. We had to get negative COVID tests before entering Hawaii, and again before visiting each island. Fortunately, Walgreen’s had good availability, and we got our results on time. On the Big Island we used Marriott points to stay at a Courtyard, securing a lovely ocean-view suite via upgrade certificate. But before checking in we headed out for brunch at Island Lava Java Bistro, where our outdoor table afforded a splendid view of the ocean. 

Phil skipped the Java for the adult beverage!

We saw the Big Island the next day via a commercial tour. Along with two other parties (all of us masked, of course!), we boarded a van and proceeded on a Circle Island tour, with stops at a coffee farm, active volcano, waterfall, candy factory, parks, and much more.

A rainbow of flavors from a Big Island shaved ice shop

We were astonished at the microclimates–sunny and hot on the south shore, pouring rain on the north. It made for a long day, but when we boarded our flight that evening we felt we’d truly experienced the island.

The Roamers on the Big Island

We loved the Big Island trip, but our favorite place was Kauai, known as the Garden Island for a reason! Kauai is GORGEOUS! It has everything–mountains, ocean, gardens, beautiful resorts, hidden beaches, and great food. We landed, picked up our Turo rental (the ONLY vehicle available on the island, a Ford F1 pickup!), and after a quick breakfast headed out on our audio-guided tour. For a tiny fraction of what we paid for our Big Island tour, we got four GPS-enabled audio tours that included turn-by-turn directions. We could set our own pace, linger where we wanted to, and explore places a large van would never be able to access.

Beautiful Kauai

After a wonderful day touring the island, we checked in to the Kaloa Landing Resort. WOW! I had booked on points and used an upgrade certificate, but we were blown away by our two-bedroom villa overlooking the ocean. I’ve traveled for business for many years and have stayed in a lot of gorgeous properties, but this might be the best of them all! We enjoyed a lovely evening, slept like babies, and the next morning after a quick breakfast were out exploring. 

Welcome gifts at our villa!

We grabbed coffee at a local truck (stood in line for 30 minutes!), then headed to the beach. There we spied what appeared to be a dead seal–but then it started wiggling, rolling around in the sand. It completely ignored the few people gathered to watch, burying its head in the sand and going back to sleep.

Our new seal friend

With our audio guide in hand, we proceeded to explore Waimea Canyon, aka the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” It was breathtaking, in more ways than one–I was terrified at the sharp drops just inches from our truck’s tires! We stopped halfway up at a lodge for a much-needed break (yes, there was a calming adult beverage for me).

The Grand Canyon of the Pacific

Just before heading to the airport we had the best meal of our entire Hawaii adventure. The Hukilau Lanai offers a 5pm Sunday tasting menu, including wine pairings, for $50, and I had made reservations weeks in advance. This made our top 20 list of the best meals of our lives! 

Corn risotto cake topped with a perfectly cooked Fresh Catch at Hukilau Lanai

The day after our return from Kauai, our dear friend Patricia arrived. Visiting Hawaii has been a dream of hers, and she would be spending a week there, split between her son and family, who were visiting Maui, and us. We had a glorious time enjoying adult beverages in beachside bars, sunning and beaching in Waikiki, and exploring the island together.

Patricia enjoying a local specialty, loco moco. And, yes, a mojito. For breakfast.

 We were on the fence about attending a luau, and Patricia decided to skip it. My FOMO eventually won out, and Phil and I thoroughly enjoyed the Paradise Cove Luau. We learned about the culture while enjoying dinner and entertainment in a gorgeous setting. 

aloha!

The Shroyers have invaded Oahu

I have to confess, we’ve been so busy having fun that I’m a bit late posting a Hawaii update. This place is magical! 

One of the gorgeous scenes from our first island drive

It felt a bit strange boarding a flight–after flying several times a week for many years, I hadn’t set foot on a plane in 13 months–but we felt very comfortable, especially since Delta was still blocking middle seats. The flight from LAX was about six hours, and we arrived eager to explore this new wonderland. We picked up our Turo car (saved at least $500 over the rental agencies’ offerings) and headed straight for Waikiki Beach.

Cocktails at Waikiki

After sipping our first Hawaiian mai tai (Phil) and pina colada (me), we tore ourselves away from Waikiki to discover our home for the next month. On a dead-end street across from a stream, our third-floor apartment offers a view of the mountains, the sounds of birds and roosters, and a lovely breeze that enables us to keep the windows open all the time. With three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a wonderful kitchen, it’s our favorite temporary home so far! We book at least a month in each Airbnb to get a significant long-term stay discount, so while this was a bit of a splurge we’ve stayed within our budget for the first six months of Roaming.

Malasada, the Portugese donut

The unexpected and delightful bonus of this home is our neighbor, Kai, who owns the building and lives below us. On our first full day here I ran into him and invited him up for cocktails–and he arrived with a bottle of homemade limoncello! Kai has been the most wonderful host, friend, and advisor. For example: he has gifted us with warm malasadas from his favorite bakery, homemade chocolate banana bread warm from his oven, and a slice of mixed berry pie from his favorite pie shop; he’s joined us for several dinners, including carryout from his favorite Chinese and traditional Hawaiian restaurants; at his recommendation we have visited a breathtaking botanical garden, a tropical tree farm that sells its fruit (including our new favorite, mangosteen, and also durian, which we didn’t buy; so, so stinky!), and a beautiful waterfall. Roaming sometimes doesn’t allow for much of a social life, and Kai’s friendship and generosity have been a highlight of our time here.

Plumeria at Koko Crater Botanical Garden, one of Kai’s recommendations

While working from Hawaii means that I have frequent 4am or 5am video calls (UGH!), it also means that my work day ends early, providing the opportunity for afternoon outings. We have taken advantage of those to visit farmers’ markets, enjoy beaches, and take drives around this beautiful island.

Phil enjoying our first beach picnic

The beaches are spectacular and photos don’t do them justice. I’m fascinated by the color of the ocean, ranging from bright green to turquoise, to blue, to purple. And the flowers! And the trees! And the mountains! This is called paradise for a reason.

These leaves look like they’ve had paint splashed on them.

We’ve also enjoyed long walks–on the beach, in downtown Honolulu, in parks and botanical gardens, in Chinatown–always marveling at the sights and sounds (and the people). Sometimes the things we see crack us up, like the faux police car that pulled up beside us.

This caused a double-take!

Can you believe this tree?!

There is so much more to share–weekend trips to the Big Island and to Kauai, more beaches with HUGE waves, a visit from dear friend Patricia, and amazing water athletics (none of which were performed by us). I’ll get to that, but now it’s time for a quick stroll before cocktail hour!

Time to say goodbye

You know it’s been good when it’s hard to leave.

Our time in Sunny California is coming to an end, and we are SAD! This has been a wonderful month, filled with family, friends, gorgeous scenery, great food and wine, and beautiful weather. We leave tomorrow, and while no one will feel sorry for us (after all, we’re heading to Hawaii next!), we’re a bit sad and nostalgic. We’ll be taking the sense memory of this magical place with us, along with even deeper connections to people we love. We’ve spent time in San Diego in the past and thought we knew the area, but our time here in North County has expanded our appreciation of just how special this place is.

At the San Diego Botanical Garden we met this beautiful topiary woman.

We’ve spent lots of time with our cousins–wineries, picnics, dinners–Karyl even took me to get my first pedicure in 13 months! We had a lovely Ocean Beach lunch with “friend who is family” Travis and met his three-year-old son Forest for the first time. We met dear friends Gracelyn and Ralph for a 56 degree outdoor dinner at Dana Point (brr!), and spent the next morning with them on a long walk and lovely (warm) outdoor lunch.

Visiting wineries with Karyl and Matt!

We’ve spent quite a bit of time just driving around, soaking up the beauty, and walking in some gorgeous parks and gardens. We even took a hike one day, something we’ve been meaning to do more of! Everywhere we go, there is something beautiful to look at.

Topiary dancer. Isn’t she beautiful?

A special highlight of our time here was when Beth and Wade visited. They spent six days with us, but it seemed like six hours. Beth and I have been besties for 50 years and hadn’t been together in a year and a half, so we had lots of catching up to do. And–bonus!–we got to celebrate our birthdays, which are four days apart, together, along with Beth’s friend Susan, whose birthday is between ours. On St. Patrick’s Day. along with Karyl and Matt, we celebrated with green beer (green wine for non-beer-drinking me) at local landmark Prohibition Brewery, followed by a surprise birthday cake at our Airbnb. We’re all vaccinated, but for extra safety we “blew” out our candles by fanning them with our plates.

Birthday Birthday Birthday!

One challenge of the Roaming lifestyle that I haven’t yet mastered is using up all the food. Despite some actual planning (I don’t normally plan meals at all), we always end up with uneaten food. For our last dinner at our Airbnb I did my best, making mashed sweet potatoes topped with frizzled lunchmeat turkey, plain yogurt, cheese, and toasted pecans–accompanied by roasted cauliflower with leftover homemade tomato sauce, and a side of roasted beets. I had leftover homemade shortcakes and whipping cream, but only three strawberries, so I added some supremed orange segments for strawberry-orange shortcake. Surprise! Everything was yummy. Alas, we still ended up with lots of cheese, brussels sprouts, and oranges that we couldn’t use.

It may not be pretty, but it tasted pretty great!

On our last day here, at our Airbnb host’s recommendation, we visited the Grand Tradition Estate and Gardens, one of the most beautiful venues we’ve ever seen. We had a wonderful brunch, followed by a stroll on the grounds. Boasting a large pond, two waterfalls, and breathtaking flowers, this place proved to be a highlight of our time here, and a wonderful place to spend part of our last day.

Just one of the waterfalls at Grand Tradition

The Veranda restaurant on the grounds was a treat, with exceptional service, delicious food, and reasonable prices. I had the Wellington Benedict (unusual, delicous, and rich!), Phil had a great omelet, and we shared a lemon berry mascarpone cake that was outstanding. If we were getting married, that would be our wedding cake.

Antici………….pation!

Second waterfall!

We are spending the rest of our last day doing laundry, pre-packing organizing, and cleaning. This afternoon we’ll virtually attend the wedding of Kristin, daughter of our dear friends Cara and Steve, followed by a last dinner with the cousins. Tomorrow morning, after a birthday video call with our kids, we’ll head out to the LAX area, where we’ll have dinner with Kuzin Dafid, and Monday morning we’ll be off to Hawaii for our next adventure. We will leave California with hearts full of gratitude for wonderful family and friends, good health that allows us to travel, and beautiful places to go, but we’ll also leave a bit of our hearts here.