Carmel-by-the-Sea

Oh, Carmel. How do I love thee.

Let me count the ways…

I love the ocean views.

I love that the entire village is walkable.

I love that the cottages have names instead of numbers.

I love how dog-friendly it is.

I love that it’s only a two-hour drive from the city.

If I had $3 million lying around, I would buy a home here in a heartbeat. Carmel is the epitome of “cute” and “quaint”. I think I say “how cute” at least a hundred times when I’m visiting.

Dare I say it, I love Carmel more than Napa. The wine culture can be found here as well. There are wine bars, extensive wine lists, and specialty wine shops every few feet. But, I get the ocean when I come to Carmel and that has made all the difference.

Where to stay

Carmel is a touristy town and there are adorable inns throughout. There aren’t many Airbnb options (I’m assuming so as not to take business away from the long-standing inns here). Most inns offer breakfast and are dog-friendly. Carmel is the #1 dog friendly town in the US after all.

Where to Eat

Cottage for breakfast

Carmel Bakery for a sandwich (built in 1899, they’re the oldest running retail business in town)

Stationæry for a salad (their homemade chai is good too)

Patisserie Boissiere for a sweet treat

Mission Ranch for an awesome view

There are plenty of delicious places to eat, not only in Carmel but in nearby Monterey and Seaside. I haven’t had a bad meal in the area yet!

what to see

Carmel Beach is one of my favorite places because it’s huge and filled with happy, frolicky dogs. It’s truly a dog’s paradise. We love going straight to the beach when we arrive, tiring our pup out first, and then walking around town.

17 Mile Drive and Pebble Beach are cool to see at least once. We paid an entry fee at one of the gates ($10 cash) but there’s probably a way to get onto the drive for free. We just haven’t found it yet. The drive takes you along the coast, which is scenic for sure, and there are plenty of lookout points to stop at. You also get to see the famous Pebble Beach and the Equestrian Center.

The Carmel Mission Basilica Museum is beautiful to see and walking distance from Mission Ranch. It has a $10 entrance fee.

Ocean Avenue is the what I’d consider Main Street in Carmel. It’s filled with little shops and restaurants. It’s where you’ll find Carmel Bakery. Once you’ve seen Ocean Avenue, you can explore the side streets, like Lincoln and Dolores, and the charming courtyards and secret passageways sprinkled all over downtown.

Bluegrass State of Mind

I'm currently in Lexington, Kentucky, enjoying a relaxing long weekend with one of my close friends and our pups. We're staying at a beautiful, sprawling horse farm and spending our days catching up, hiking the hills, and eating homecooked meals. Just a few of my favorite things.

Lexington is about a six-hour drive from Chicago and a perfect escape from the city. It's also known as the "Horse Capital of the World," which means a great deal to me because I love horses. I always have, and I always will. In the sixth grade, my dream was to be a jockey and work on a Thoroughbred farm. My siblings still make fun of the horse figurines on the dresser of my childhood bedroom. And, I completely relate to Tina Belcher in all episodes of Bob's Burgers but especially in "The Horse Rider-er" episode in Season 6. Tina Belcher is my homegirl.

My new friend

My baby (with some icicles on her after she took a swim in the creek)

This weekend also marks the end of the holiday season. New Year's Eve is tomorrow and it's time to reflect on all the things I should be grateful for. What a crazy year it's been: I got PMP-certified, finished planning a wedding, married my soulmate, went on an epic honeymoon, started a new role at my company, and hired a career coach. I learned a lot about myself. I learned to say "no" to the things that no longer serve me, and I learned to say "yes" to the things that fuel my creativity.

One personal thing that I'm really proud of this year is my health and wellness. (Except for this month. This month I totally ate like crap because Christmas cookies are everywhere. Why is it that the holidays obliterate all my willpower and routine.) Overall, I finally feel like I have a better relationship with my weight and self-image. I try to focus on eating nutritiously over listening to my cravings, and I prioritize my workouts. But even though the things I eat now are healthier and cleaner, I still struggle with portion control. My goal for 2018 is to practice eating until I'm 80% full. I'm going to need a lot of practice because I currently have no idea what eating to 80% full feels like. Usually being "full" means I can no longer move and someone needs to roll me out the door.

Changing my habits little by little each day can make a big difference in the long-run. I need to remember my own advice when I try to make healthy choices. Starting January 1st...For now, I'm still on vacation.

Wishing everyone health and happiness in the new year!

The delicious home-cooked meal that I ate until I was 110% full

The cheese plate I made (extra cheese, please)