Has it really been Ten Years?

Being pregnant didn't seem to lend itself to a beach vacation, so we decided to go to Carmel and San Francisco for a few days instead. We had a great time in Carmel and Monterey with our long-time friends Matt and Amy MacKay. On the first day of our trip, we flew into San Francisco and drove down to Carmel. We had dinner at a great local restaurant called The Fishwife - we were a little nervous when we saw the building, but its outward appearance doesn't do it justice - the food was excellent! After dinner, we drove to a state beach in Carmel. To get there, we drove through a residential neighborhood and just parked on the street and walked down to the beach. It was one of the prettiest sunsets either of us has ever seen, and we could have sat on the beach and watched the waves all night.

We stayed at the Quail Lodge Resort in Carmel Valley for the first night of our trip. The service was amazing, the resort was beautiful, the golf course was breathtaking (I wish that my golf game was as spectacular as the scenery), and the spa was super-relaxing. The lady that did Jamie's facial was VERY friendly and told her all about her love life, but she did a great job. Overall, a wonderful place to stay and very romantic! After golf and the spa, we left the Quail Lodge and went to Monterey Bay Aquarium. There was a lot to see at the Aquarium and it was the perfect choice for something to do on a cold, cloudy day. After the Aquarium, we took the 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach. It was amazing to see how the other half lives, and the views were beautiful.

While we were driving on 17-Mile Drive, Matt and Amy got a sad phone call from home saying that their youngest was injured by a heavy stone fountain that had seriously damaged her thumb. The rest of the day was a little stressful as Matt and Amy tried to find a quick flight home to Salt Lake. There were no flights available for less than $1000/person on such notice (you have to love the great service provided by the airlines!) so they had to endure a sleepless night until they could get out the next day. We felt bad that they couldn't fully enjoy the surroundings - we stayed at the Tickle Pink Inn that sits on the cliffs south of Carmel. The view of the beach and the ocean was beautiful, and the sound of the waves crashing below added to the great atmosphere.

After dropping Matt and Amy at the airport in San Francisco, Jamie and I did some sightseeing in San Francisco. We saw all the old favorites - Ghiradelli Square, Chinatown, Union Square, the Trolley Cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street - and then went back to the hotel pretty exhausted after walking all over town. When we got back to our hotel at Embarcadero Center, I realized that it was the last Friday of the month and time for the Critical Mass ride in San Francisco. It was also the last Friday before Halloween, and the crazies were out in full force. There were at least 1,000 riders, many of whom were decked out in Halloween costumes. A lot of super heroes, cross dressers, and even Pee Wee Herman, complete with the biggest bike I have ever seen. Right before the ride started, two guys pulled up on their bikes wearing nothing but briefs. That is strange enough, but then they whipped off the briefs and started the ride. Don't worry - we won't post pictures.

Despite the horrifying sights in San Francisco, we had a wonderful time and would highly recommend a trip to Carmel and Monterey!

We realized after our trip that taking pictures is not our strong point - we need to be more aware of picture opportunities - but we did take a few!