THE A.R.T. OF DOMESTICITY

We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us – Winston Churchill

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After our ziplining adventure yesterday (see post here), we decided to head over to Capitola, a cute little beach town, that happens to have one of my favorite Mexican restaurants ~ Margaritaville. Magaritaville has a great location in town with an outdoor patio and water view. It’s so much fun to come here and linger on the patio people watching while sipping your favorite libation ~ and of course mine is a margarita.

There’s something so relaxing about the sun hitting your face, watching people play sand volleyball and daydreaming while looking out to sea.

Capitola is a small town (as a matter of fact, I believe they call it a village) but it has some adorable shops, restaurants, art galleries and more.

One of these days I’ll rent one of the many waterfront condos and cottages that are available and make a real vacation out of it.

And when I do, come on down and have a margarita on me!

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I usually love to linger on Sunday mornings, sipping my coffee and putting around in my jammies as long as I can but today had to be an early morning, get-up-and-go kind of day. We were scheduled for a 9 am departure for our zipline tour at the Mt. Herman Adventures Redwood Canopy Tour Company and we had to accommodate for a 45 minute commute to the location. I was excited though and was ready to go.

We arrived in time to walk around the facility a little bit and then huddled with our small group of 7 participants and 2 instructors. The equipment was already neatly organized and laid out for each us.

After a fairly quick instructional chat, we were all strapped, clipped and harnessed into our equipment and apparently this qualified us to jump off of a 150 foot high platform and fly 400 ft distances into the dense redwoods.

Our first challenge was crossing a suspension bridge to get to our first platform.

Then it was my lucky turn to position myself onto the edge of the platform and willingly step off.

And there I was, zipping along, 150 ft in the air, going 25 mph, heading straight for a huge 4 ft wide, several hundred year old redwood tree trunk. In all honestly, I really thought this whole process might be a little scary but I did not find it scary at all. There are so many safety precautions ~ cables, chains and locks that make you feel so safe, it takes all of the fear out of the equation. And as far as the zipline experience itself, it goes by so quickly it actually leaves you wanting more.

It was an exceptional day overall and I highly recommend this experience for any one. My only regret at this time is that I rented a GoPro camera and recorded the adventure and was hoping to share an edited version of it in this post, however, I had major issues trying to get a program to edit it so that may have to wait for another day. Some of the stills above are from the GoPro but it’s not the same effect.

Hmmmm….what should my next adventure be…maybe rock climbing?

…maybe not!

After this great morning, it was time for lunch so we headed into Capitola to have lunch at Margaritaville. What a difference a day makes, it was stunning by this beach today as compared to yesterday’s fog….more images to come on Capitola in another post. Adios Amigos!

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The town of Pacifica is no exception. As a matter of fact, from my personal experience, I think it’s more unusual for Pacifica to see sunshine. We had some errands that needed to get done up in this area, and since it was such a beautiful, sunny day, I decided to grab my camera at the last minute so I could capture some great shots by the water.

As we got closer to our destination, it was clear that it was not going to be sunny by the water. A very thick layer of billowy, white fog was embedded in the hills ~ a sure sign that a hoody and some Ugg’s would be a really good idea.

There is fog and then there is horror movie fog…you know what I’m talking about ~ the kind of fog that mists your windshield and fuzzes your view, creeps in like a pack of ghosts at street level leaving only a 5 foot visual clearance and who knows what’s lurking just beyond…yeah, that’s what kind of fog this was! (Cue organ music – dundundun)

Insert haunted house (probably worth 2 mil because it’s right across the street from the water)

Okay, enough with the dramatics, the truth is I’m a quintessential California beach baby and I love any type of weather when I can be by the water…I was wishing I had that hoody though. So here are a few images from my day…

I do think all that doom and gloom may have an effect on this town as I really found all their beach signs to be “Debbie Downers”. 

I even felt like this pigeon, standing guard, might come swooping down on me if I disobeyed the rules.

I think I’ll contact Steven King and let him know I’ve found the location for his next movie.

Time for a nice, hot coffee, a hop in the car and drive 1 mile inland to the sunshine!

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Europe has so much to offer honeymooners and couples looking for a luxury resort. Culture; genuine Italian, Spanish, Greek or Portuguese cuisine; and endless vivid blue oceans are just some of the reasons why Europe continues to attract loved-up young couples.

Greece

Greece’s history stretches back thousands of years, a place that has always remained a center of music, culture and philosophy. It comprises of not only the Greek mainland, but also a collection of islands dotted around the Aegean Sea. The Greeks have a passion for food, with traditional local dishes of lamb, feta cheese and juicy olives being the favorites. Numerous activities are available in Greek resorts, including fishing, water sports, tennis and golf. For culture buffs, ancient ruins, all with a story to tell, can be visited all over Greece.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Best hotel for honeymoons: Hotel Katikies

The Hotel Katikies sits high on the cliffs on the Greek island of Santorini. It’s designed in the traditional Mediterranean white and offers a secluded romantic escape for its guests. There’s a no kids allowed policy, so it’s perfect for couples who want to get away from it all – whether that means getting daily massages at the spa, or renting a car to explore the rest of the island and visiting Santorini’s night spots.

Spain

Spain is a lively location that offers great weather, friendly locals and an abundance of traditional and modern entertainment. It has some of the best beaches in Europe, which attract visitors from all over the world. Variety is everywhere in Spain – you can be sitting at a beach bar, sipping cocktails, or walking round the ruins of an 500 year old church in the same afternoon. The evening can be spent watching traditional Spanish dancers, or dancing yourself in one of Spain’s top nightclubs.

Three swimming pools and a fitness suite and spa mean you can spend the whole week relaxing at this waterfront hotel. The Aguas de Ibiza is fitted out with designer furniture throughout, and has two fashion boutiques within the hotel itself. An international and Mediterranean restaurant staffed by top chefs mean you can dine extravagantly every night, sampling the local Spanish dishes as you choose.

Portugal

Surrounded on three sides by Spain, and one side by the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal is Europe’s most westerly point. The home of many explorers in days gone by, it offers an excellent wine region, world-class golfing and beautiful beaches. Whether it’s bustling culture of Lisbon that attracts you, or escaping the city to relax by the coast, Portugal has plenty to offer.

Best Hotel for Honeymoons: Reid’s Palace

A more traditional setting, Reid’s Palace was built in 1891 and remains just as luxurious as it was when it first opened its doors. Aside from the excellent spa facilities, fitness suite and swimming pool, Reid’s palace offers activities such as water sports, tennis and billiards. It’s situated atop the cliffs amongst tropical gardens on the island of Madeira, looking out over the ocean. With a touch of British-ness (Winston Churchill used to stay here, amongst other famous guests), it has a Tea Terrace where sandwiches, cakes and cups of tea are served every day to guests.

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Byline: Nathan Amery works for luxury holiday provider Six Star Holidays and is based in the UK when he’s not traveling around the world.

All statements of fact, images and opinion are those of the guest authors.

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Most of us have great activities in our own backyards. I have always wanted to go ziplining and have never had the opportunity while on vacation. Low and behold, I found out we have a great zipline location right here in Felton through Mount Hermon Adventures...coincidentally, the same area where we went fishing last week.

So guess what I did?! Yep, I booked my stay-cation activity ~ we are booked for a 2 hour zipline tour through the Redwoods…woo hoo! I’m so excited, and assuming I survive, I cannot wait to share my experience with you. So wish me luck! I hope it will be an incredible and fun experience!

Don’t wait until your next vacation to do what you’ve always wanted to do…book your stay-cation activity now!

Images from Google

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Taken from the front of my house with my iPhone. I love spontaneous beauty.

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