Up the coast

Last week end in preparation of the trip I did loads and loads of laundry which are still in baskets but unfortunately not folded and put away. B very nicely cleaned up the car with the help of the kiddos.
Monday we packed up the car and off we went. Our first stop was Rubios about 5min away from home where we had lunch and a big ding in my car!!! Yeah someone completely missed their parking maneuver and ended up in my car but failed to leave a note and left me with a nasty bumper that will need to be fixed ;(

Angry we left on our vacation. Our first stop was Pismo Beach. We arrived around 5pm settled in a beautiful spacious and on the beach room. We then went for dinner to a steak place which served good food but was a little pricey and definitely too much food! Satiated we went back to the hotel. The kids looked at the waves for a while then we all went down. In the morning, the kids were very nice and let us slept in a little. They were too cute as they were playing together and whispering.
After a quick breakfast we took off and headed towards Monterrey.
We stopped in Moro bay to check out the rock there and look at the waves.
We then started our trip on the breath taking 101. It was really beautiful and we were amazed by the houses built on the side of the "mountain" just above the water.
We stopped to go for a little walk. The kids are in a great age and they are so curious and full of excitement. They love discovering new places.
We stopped in Big Sur for lunch but found that the food was overpriced but luckily still good. Since we had a run planned that evening we needed some fuel. We finally arrived in Monterrey around 3pm. The hotel was stunning. I am very happy for my find. B went for his run on the sidewalk of Monterrey while I went for a discovery walk with the kids. We saw sea otters in the ocean. We were on Cannery Row which is really pretty but also very touristy.
We got back to the room and the kids cozy ed up in the bed and watched a little TV, B came back and since it was dark and I'm such a wimp I opted to go run at the hotel gym.
The treadmill had a TV which was cool at first after I realize that there is really nothing interesting on TV. I did manage a 3.5M run at 9:20 min/miles which always pales in comparison to the 5M run of B but hey who is competing ;)
After a shower fresh clothes we went to get a drink downstairs and then off we went to get some food. Monterrey has mostly fish restaurants expensive and where any meat dish is outrageously expensive. The concierge at the hotel did recommend a little Hawaiian restaurant supposedly not touristy, but the stack of cards with his name on it raised our suspicion. However not finding anything, and the kids getting tired and hungry we bit the bullet and went there. I am so glad we did. It was a great place with very very interesting food and very good and reasonably priced.
After a great dinner, I had some jerked pulled pork and B pork tacos and some hot sake!
In the morning, after breakfast at the hotel we packed up and went to the Aquarium. The Old cannery underwent heavy renovation and was turned into an amazing aquarium. The tanks were absolutely amazing and so were the different exhibition such as the sea horses, the jelly fishes. After a few hours of checking out sea creatures, we hit the gift store, outfitted the kids with a shark shirt to continue the tradition and a jelly fish one.
We got back into our car and off we went towards Pacifica on the 1. I loved that part of the road. Maybe not as breath taking than the portion from pismo to Monterrey but more to my liking. Unfortunately, this is also a nature that calls my name. Maybe one day we will move to central/northern California...
We arrived in Pacifica after a lunch stop hit the store so that after 3 days of restaurant we could have some homemade food.
We arrived at our destination, the kids went directly to the yard where they found a much bigger and very excited Tulle. Finally I started cooking and everyone got here. We spent a very nice evening. The kids went to bed nicely and woke up at 8:45am!
Thursday was spent checking out the humongous waves, relaxing and cooking. Friday was really windy and after eating some french toast and bacon we went to Half Moon Bay and try to see Maverick. It was really really windy and the kids were cold.
We got back home around 3pm and we went for a 4M run. All was going well until mid nasty trail hill. After stopping a few times the way down was much better. Lesson: If you want to have energy for your run french toast and bacon 5H00 before are not good nutrition!
That evening we sampled some sake which eating sushi. Saturday morning we left at 10:30 and drove straight through to San Diego hitting some traffic here and there.
Sunday was spent reading for the adult. After that we dropped off the kids at the neighbor and we went on our long run which started with a nasty hill on which I had to stop again. Everything went well until mile 5 then I ran out of juice and my unstretched leg muscles started give me gried. The planned 8M turned into a 6.8M :(
Having to stop in a hill is so humiliating for me. It makes me soooo angry at my body. After that run I had the hardest time to get my warmth back.
Since we are on a health kick and are trying to both lose about 4-6lbs each I've loaded our fridge up with veggie and this is our weekly menu:
- Monday: Homemade butternut squash soup
- Tuesday: Steaks with green beans
- Wednesday: Chicken burritos
- Thursday: breaded fish or maybe sone brown rice breaded balls.
- Friday: Pork chops with sweat potatoes.

Something like that.... Today I'm running 4-5M tonight since a meeting was scheduled over my lunch hour ;( It will be either treadmill, Torrey Pines or around work.
Tomorrow I'll swim, thursday will be tempo, Friday nothing, Saturday 8-9M and Sunday bike ride.... next monday off I think.