On Thursday I drove a few miles south and took the big bridge over to Coronado, California.
Technically just a few miles south of San Diego, but in all senses of the word, world’s apart. It has a very beachy island feel and I always feel like I’ve gone on vacation even though I’ve only gone a few miles.
Not that all of San Diego isn’t lovely, but Coronado is truly the loveliest of the lovely. It would sure be lovely if I could stumble into 5 or 10 million and buy something there. I’ll keep dreaming or start playing the lottery.
But for now, I just walk on the sidewalk and use the parks. Those are still free and lovely.
Skylar’s school chose a park on Coronado to have their last day of school picnic. Marvelous choice.
Need I even write it, but the weather was picture perfect. 74F and sunny, light breeze, not a cloud in the sky.
All pictures were taken with my iPhone and then enhanced a bit in Lightroom 4 to bring out the blues in the sky. It was so bright out, I literally couldn’t even see my phone screen and what the resulting image looked like.
I held the phone to the bridge, pressed the button, and hoped the image showed how huge the bridge is.
The kids had a great day. Talk about little energizer bunnies. There was a big inflatable jumpee with a slide, parachute games, face painting, a huge catered food spread, playground equipment and wide open spaces, and adrenaline. There was more high energy and craziness in one minute at the park than I think I’ve had in all of 2012 combined. It was fun to see the kids soaking it all in and loving it and vastly different than the last day of school celebrations I had when I was growing up.
Those involved hot and stuffy gymnasiums with no A/C, calling kids up on stage to accept an award as the fourth runner up in the spelling bee contest and other thrilling bits of news. There were no palm trees at the parks in rural Minnesota either, but we had plenty of mosquitoes the size of golf balls.
It felt like just yesterday it was her first day at school. Until I had a child, I didn’t fully comprehend the they grow up so fast sentiment, and it’s cliche but so true.
A beautiful place and a beautiful day.
Sunny days at the park and time with my child and husband, who was able to join us, are worth their weight in gold.
Now if you’ll excuse me, a bite of this Cinnamon Bun Pie is worth it’s weight in gold, too. Weekends are the perfect time to make one, which is what I did this morning.
Are you celebrating being out of school for the year or do you have kids out of school now?
Any fun summer plans?
The winner of the Ani Phyo Cookbooks Giveaway – Set of Two is Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy
Enjoy your weekend!
I am very close to celebrating being done work for the summer! I have 2 weeks left and then 2 months off!!! Some plans for the summer include a couple music festivals and a trip to Vegas.
Glad to hear you’re almost done..and you take the best trips! From NY to Vegas,I want to be your travel buddy :)
I may have to put that on my list of places to go when we visit SoCal. We have an island nearby where celebrities come to escape. It’s a piece of paradise in my back yard.
You totally should put it on your to-do list if you can!
Wow, those pictures are absolutely beautiful! I wish I lived closer to such an amazing place. Although I think I’d rather just visit; I love Oregon too much. :)
I know you love where you live and that’s SO important!!
SO gorgeous! What a spot! We’re traveling for a few weddings. But no real other plans!
I was on Coronado Island this weekend too! It was paradise! I am not playing the lottery too! ;)
Oh how fun for you guys!! :)
Avery oh Avery! Can I tell you how envious I am of you??
I would probably sell my soul to the devil to live in California as well and have sunshine almost all year round :) your pictures are always gorgeous .. I always think that with each and every post but never get a chance to actually tell you :)
xoxo all the best
Thanks for saying so, Doris! We have moved around the country and have made lots of sacrifices to live here because we truly just love it and no where else can hold a candle for us and we know that we’re blessed to make that choice. Love it here :)
Gorgeous pics, brings back fun memories from childhood trips to San Diego. My nieces and nephews have all had end-of-year school parties my sisters had to attend.
I go to the Coronado Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoons, right next to the sidewalk in your shot in the Il Fornaio parking lot – want to come along sometime?
I love farmer’s markets and just “strolling” and surveying what they have that week…I bet the Coronado market it fabulous! One day I need to get down there….
Coronado is one of my favorite places ever! We spent a full weekend there about 3 years ago for my BFF’s wedding at Hotel Del. Needless to say, it was one of the nicest weddings we’ve been to!
I can only imagine how nice a wedding at the Hotel Del was!
These photos are so vibrant and crisp! What a lovely day. It makes me so excited to visit California in a couple months :)
Wow! It sounds like a wonderful day in a beautiful park:)
SO gorgeous!!! Wish I could be there right now! :) And that weather sounds just perfect. Glad the kids had a great time!
Oh wow, wow, wow. It’s -2 at 8am here in Canberra already. Those skies!
Hotel Del Coronado and it is sooo gorgeous :)