Summer's Envy





For us Washingtonians,  we seem to have a love hate relationship with the summer season. As we sit in our living rooms comforted by a roaring fire at night watching the nightly news and seeing images of people from the East Coast and mid West walking about in their tank tops and flip flops.  The news anchor with their nightly chatter of "it's going to be another scorcher out there" as they warn the audience of the following day's forecast of "lots of sun with high temps into the mid 80's.



I step out of the house only to feel a chill in the air. "I love the feeling of crisp air". Saying out loud to psyche myself into forgetting about the warm summer everywhere but here.  As I look out into the night sky, I couldn't help but think of the many things we will do once summer finally gets to Washington. The many festivals and fairs we could attend. Nightly outdoor movies in different towns, outdoor music concerts, garage sales and wine tasting. Boating with my sisters, kayaking with the kids, an afternoon of doing absolutely nothing but lounging on the beach with my hubby, catching up on my novels as the kids ride their bikes to the nearby park.



Until then, the light sweater, socks and shoes and my commitments to meet my sisters at a local restaurant indoor for happy hour, will just have to do for now.

Going back into the house, feeling the warm fire emanating from the fireplace in the corner, I can't 
help but feel envious of the warm summer everyone is having.

Now, it's almost the end of summer. Our summer feels like it began in mid-July and here it is end of August and my family is preparing for summer's end. The kids in denial of it all, doesn't want summer to end. 

So for our last hoorah, our extended family all make a trek to this beautiful place located in Hood Canal. A place where we plan on making our home for a weekend on a yearly basis. A place with a promise of laughter, good food, fun, lots of love and unlimited supply of oysters!

Manhattan Beach Pier, California
Niantic, Connecticut
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Aruba

Beautiful mural of Cuban woman smoking a cigar, Oranjestad, Aruba
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Seattle, Washington
Seattle Skyline, Seattle, Washington
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La Jolla, California

La Jolla is a vibrant and beautiful neighborhood set within the city limits of San Diego, California.  La Jolla  is a hilly seaside resort community occupying 7 miles of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean and is known to have had the highest home prices in the nation. With an average daily temperature of 70 degrees and miles of sandy beaches, La Jolla is one of my favorite places to visit any time of the year.

Within La Jolla is a neighborhood of Torrey Pines which is famous for its golf course. Torrey Pines Golf Course sits on the coastal cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Golfers are treated to one of the most breathtaking and picturesque views the Pacific Ocean has to offer. Yearly, Torrey Pines Golf Course hosts the PGA Tour and brings in golfer legends such as Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

The main area known as the Village of La Jolla offers restaurants, cafes, small boutique shops as well as brand names shops and art galleries. Local ice cream shops offer delicious flavors that will tempt even the pickiest eaters.

Towards the end of your brief walk down towards the shore, you will come across La Jolla Cove where hundreds of seals and sea lions lay rest on rocks.

A small beach is located right next to where the seals rest and play. The beach can only be accessed on foot. Once on sand, you can enjoy the afternoon sun bathing while reading a good book or take a friend out on the water for an afternoon of snorkeling.

Above the small beach is Scripps Park where you will surely find visitors and locals alike, lounging on their favorite beach chairs as they patiently wait for the sun to set. Local vendors sit under their unbrellas as they happilly display their "I LOVE LA JOLLA" tshirts and hats. A day is simply not enough time to fully appreciate all that La Jolla has to offer.


El Arco de Cabo San Lucas