Another Life on Irish Beach

This past weekend we experienced something that was long, long overdue: a family vacation. Unlike most of our time away from home, this trip was only a three hour drive, involved no schedules, and was not an attempt to see as many family, friends, sites, restaurants, and playgrounds as possible. It was basically a staycation away from home.

I did a little research to make sure our trip would be relaxing. Mimi helped me pinpoint a spot using her new globe, which we picked up at an antiques fair. She kept pointing to Hawaii. Sorry, not this time, kid.

We ended up renting a lovely home in Irish Beach, which is about 20 miles south of Mendocino. This was our first time renting a home for a vacation. If only I had known how friggin' fantastic it is to vacation in a home with kids, I would've been doing this for the past five years. The home we rented definitely made an impression on us. It was beautiful.

The kids (and Sumie) took quickly to the overstuffed recliners.

 Mimi liked the one on the left in particular.

They had a great time sleeping in their own bedroom, too. Well, Kuri had a great time after the first night. He wasn't too sure about sleeping in a strange room, no matter how nice it was.

Another favorite of the house was the spiral staircase leading to the upstairs loft. There was a bed up there as well, but despite Mimi's consistent pleading, it went unused.

Kuri, unfortunately, loved the upstairs loft as well. Don't worry, there was always a Mama or Papa on guard duty.

The view of the house from the loft was pretty cool. I think that's why Mimi liked it so much. It reminded me a bit of all the time I spent on the balcony of the home in which I grew up, looking down on the exciting action of adults watching TV.

The house came complete with access to what is as close as you can get to a private beach in California. A gated entry-way led to a very steep and very twisty single-lane road that takes you to the northernmost point of Manchester beach. The beach itself is open to the public, but where we were is about a six mile hike from the public entrance.

It was a really unique experience, having this huge beach virtually to ourselves. Tremendously calming. The wind, however, was a different issue. Our first day out was blustery, to say the least. Kuri took to sitting on Mama's lap, and Mimi decided she'd wear goggles to keep out the sand.

The wind did make for perfect kite-flying weather. This was Mimi's first time to fly a kite, and she absolutely loved it. For her father, it was a bit of a learning experience. Two things I discovered are: a. Never attempt to assemble a cheap kite you got for free two years ago in the sand on a tremendously windy day. and b. Thin strands of seaweed, when bundled together, can make a workable tail for the cheap kite that of course came with no tail, but may gross out your squeamish five year old daughter.

One of the best aspects of our "home away from home" was that we could cook real meals. Over four days and three nights we only ate out twice. Sourcing good ingredients on the north coast is a bit tricky - we'll bring a full-stocked ice chest the next time around - but I was still able to put together some tasty meals.

 After dinner, all we had on the agenda was lounging...

 ...some burp-cloth ninja tricks...

...warming up by the fire...

...and, of course, roasting marshmallow.

On Sunday we made the short drive (about an hour) up to Fort Bragg. We were able to catch a view of the Skunk Train as it pulled out of the station...

 ...leaving Mimi and Kuri to imagine what the journey must be like on an engine more their size in the souvenir shop.

Being in Fort Bragg meant a visit to Glass Beach, which I had not been to since I was a kid. For those who are unfamiliar with Glass Beach, it's a series of former dump sites for Fort Bragg. Over the years they have been cleaned of dangerous debris, but all the glass has been left behind and worn smooth by the ocean waves. It's a pretty unique spot.  Kuri wasn't too sure what all the fuss was about.

Unfortunately, he was more interested in the jelly fish that kept washing up. Not a good idea, kiddo.

The picture below is, I believe, what's left of a car. The steel has corroded and there were thousands of glass pieces mixed in. Shooting out of the old wreck is what's left of a shock absorber.

On our last morning, Mimi and I returned to the beach by our beach house for another round of kite flying. Having learned my lessons, I purchased a decent kite in Fort Bragg and assembled it prior to heading down to the beach. For this outing we had the right equipment, but we didn't have the wind. And that meant a hell of a lot of running (Mimi wanted that kite up in the air no matter what). First, I ran down half the beach with Mimi at my side. We then walked back to our start point. That's when Mimi took over as the kite flyer. And she seriously took off. She was sprinting like a girl possessed. Every once in a while she'd stop to see if the kite would stay up on its own, but it wouldn't, and so off again she'd speed. Before I knew it, she'd nearly reached the rocks signaling the end of the beach. Believe it or not, there is a little girl and a kite somewhere in the picture below.

Mimi's run was fortuitous because it took us to some tide pools we hadn't seen on our last outing. Mimi was entranced by the sea anemones.

On our way back to the car we stopped for a picture in one of the many driftwood huts that dotted the beach.

One of the biggest highlights of the trip was a series of unexpected, but very friendly and very cute, visitors.

Mimi and Kuri could've spent hours watching the fawns and their parents forage in the backyard. I've never seen them so focused.

Over our four days and three nights we didn't do all that much, but that was pretty much the point. Instead of a grand adventure, our vacation was a series of small, but joyous little vignettes. Mimi flew her first kite and watched The Wizard of Oz for the first time. Kuri learned to sleep in a new room without going bonkers and saw his first deer in the wild. Sumie and I had our first vacation in ages where each morning we woke up more relaxed than the day before. It was short, but pretty close to perfect. When the time came to go home, we all gathered for a picture. Kuri didn't want to leave.

But eventually he got in line and we paid a fond farewell to our home away from home. We have a feeling we'll be back again soon.

Mendocino via Vintage 911

This weekend was the first time in two years that Sumie and I slept under a different roof than our children.  They remained at home, kindly, and excitedly, watched over by Grandma.  Sumie and I blocked off a luxurious 30 hours of "us" time and fled to the north coast of Mendocino.

Looking back over nearly 5 years with kids so far, I think it's safe to say that Sumie and I still travel quite a bit, but it's always as a family.  Christopher, in his first year of life alone, logged more airline miles than I did in my first twenty.  Traveling with young kids can be a lot of fun, but it's never quite a vacation, so this was a real treat for the two of us.

Our trip began with a quick drive up 101 and then crossing over to Bodega Bay.  From there, we drove up the remaining 100 or so miles to Mendocino along Highway 1.  We marveled at the scenery and completely different pace of the small towns through which we passed.  This is perhaps the only place in the world in which it takes 15 minutes to toast a pizza bagel.  And when it finally arrives on the counter, it's a pesto bagel.

We arrived at our bed and breakfast, The Agate Cove Inn, in the late afternoon.  The setting had looked fantastic on the website, but was even better in person.  Quiet, serene, with just enough ocean roar to calm the senses.

The inn even matched our car!  Upon arrival, I put the top back on the Porsche.  It did not come off again on our trip.  I love a targa or a convertible, but Sumie is not a big fan.  "You can't talk!"

While unfolding the roof, I brilliantly managed to pinch my ring finger in the hinge mechanism, resulting in a nice, steady stream of blood.  Sumie, always the doctor on call, quickly responded with a very manly Dora the Explorer bandaid, which I wore proudly through the rest of the trip.

Despite the somewhat humbling arrival, we were quite pleased with our room.  Gas fireplace, a soaking tub big enough for a moderate-sized high school swim team, and a supple leather couch with an amazing view out the front windows.

This is the basic view we had from our sitting room and the front porch.

Back in NYC, Sumie and I ate out all the time.  We reveled in good food.  Today, it's an exceedingly rare treat that the two of us can enjoy a good restaurant.  Young kids have a way of keeping fancy food at bay.  As such, our trips as a couple often center on good food, and plenty of it. For our first meal we had reservations at Coq au Vin, a country-style French restaurant in Andersen Valley.  By the time we headed out (top on the car, and Sumie much happier), it was already dark.  Now, anyone who has driven through the Northern California coast knows that cell phone reception is, at best, spotty. And anyone who has driven a stock 911sc at night knows that the factory headlights are about as bright as a 1 watt bulb hooked up to the exercise wheel of a lethargic hamster with emphysema. This delightful combination resulted in us overshooting our hard-to-see restaurant...by 14 miles. But, thanks to my German obsession with being on time, and a similar German obsession with fast cars, we still made it.

Coq au Vin is by no means fancy.  It's a favorite of the locals and the decor and comaraderie matches the laid-back atmosphere of the north coast.  The food, however, is first rate.  We started with mussels and an order of French onion soup.  Sumie pronounced this soup the best she has ever tasted. I heartily agreed (and nearly ordered a second cup).

Sumie followed with the cod...

...and I tucked into the roast tenderloin with Normandy sauce.  Both were simple, but wonderfully done.

The next morning we enjoyed a breakfast at the inn (which had the best muffins I've ever enjoyed) and pottered around the grounds.

 Upon check-out we made the very short drive down to the town of Mendocino proper.

 The downtown was very cute, and also very dangerous.  Well, at least for my wallet.  We found a little shop that specialized in jams and jellies, and another in Belgian chocolates and automobile memorabilia.  We even came across a man who ran a perfume shop and built custom speakers.  This, for me, was perhaps the most dangerous.  Sumie, however, had the strength to pull me out before I could be led to the listening room and a potential purchase that definitely would not have fit in the back seat.

Our last stop in town was Cafe Beaujolais, a California-French restaurant (heavy emphasis on the California).  Sumie and I split crab cakes, and then she tucked into her fettuccine.

I had a bacon and chicken sandwich, Frenched up with the addition of brie and served on a baguette. Mine was great, but Sumie definitely won the lunch food round.  Her leftovers are still in the fridge as I'm writing this, but may well be gone by the time she gets home with Mimi from shopping.

 Our drive home on highway 128 took us through dense redwood stands.  It was gorgeous.  Sumie mentioned that she saw an Ewok or two.  We'd had a remarkable time.

We'd also made it home quickly, safely, and comfortably in a 32 year old car with over 200K on the odometer.  Our little 911, which I'd equipped with a spare battery, jumper cables, and a set of tools, saw us through and helped to make our little road trip a bit of an adventure. I can also proudly say that not a single person passed us on highway 1 or 128, despite our keeping, for the car at least, a rather leisurely pace.

After 30 hours away, we returned home to two very excited kids.  They had been amazing for grandma and we couldn't have been prouder of them.  That night, Mimi snuggled into her favorite spot on Mama's lap for a story.

The next morning, I cuddled my two munchkins.

After this weekend, I've realized that a night or two away isn't simply about spending private time with your spouse (though that's much appreciated).  Perhaps the greatest benefit of a weekend away from the kids is remembering just how much you love what you left behind.