The scenic route

Last week I joked with a friend, “When you live in a state as large as California, it’ll take a decade (or more) to chip away at the ‘bucket list’ of things to see.”

Driving on Highway 1, which hugs the California coastline, has been on my California bucket list for years. Last week Caleb and I found ourselves without our kids attending a wedding near San Jose, and decided to make Highway 1 our route home.

We started in Monterey with breakfast overlooking the bay. Afterwards we popped into Paris Bakery for a fresh baguette (for our picnic lunch), a few treats (the chocolate truffles get five stars), and coffee. From Monterey we headed south, taking the scenic route of Highway 1 instead of the more direct route through the Central Valley.

While the entire drive (minus the LA traffic) was unique and unparalleled, the drive from Monterey to Big Sur was my favorite. The view was scenic and unlike anything we'd driven before. It wasn't just that there were mountains (we've driven through plenty of mountains during our time in the west) it was that this was the first time we saw mountains that plunge right into the ocean.

The eastern side of each hairpin curve and switchback hugged the mountains, with the western side of the road perching on top of sea cliffs, sometimes jutting out over the Pacific. We drove across iconic bridges that spanned rivers and gorges, and stopped every so often to enjoy the brisk Pacific breeze, and crystal clear turquoise waves crashing against the base of sea cliffs hundreds of feet below.

This stretch of the Pacific coast isn't for swimmers or surfers and there isn't much sand. The coastline is scattered with rough rocks jutting out of the Pacific, some are hundreds of feet high. Each time we stopped, we could hear the relentless roar of the waves pounding the coast.

As we continued south, the coastline gradually shifted to the familiar looking coastline that we visit each week when we go to the beach. Seeing this gradual shift from crashing turquoise waves into the cliffs of Big Sur to the (seemingly) gentle surf of the sand drenched beaches of Southern California was such a treat.

If you ever get a chance to drive the California Coastline on Highway 1, don't hesitate (and I recommend a picnic lunch shortly after Bixby Bridge). A trip hugging the California Coastline is a day well spent surrounded by unparalleled beauty.

May Mix + Diffuser Refill

When it comes to picking what to diffuse, I tend to find a combination that I love and then shamelessly fill my diffuser with the same thing for basically the entire month. Kind of like a good playlist. You too? Then this is the only recipe mix (see what I did there?) you need this month.

This blend is one of my favorites for the spring and summer. Because I find myself drawn to it day after day, I use a diffuser refill.

Diffuser Refills are so easy to make. To make your own, take your current favorite diffuser blend recipe - and then quadruple it into a dropper bottle. For the Big Sur Diffuser Refill, I multiply each oil in the above recipe by 4. When I want to add to my diffuser, I gently shake and then add four drops total. Simple!

Thanks for reading! Have you checked something off of your bucket list lately? I would love to hear about it! Just hit reply if you'd like to respond. (When you hit reply, your message goes directly to my email. It’s a private conversation between just us.) I read all your messages and try to respond, but not always in a timely manner. Sorry! And if you enjoyed this email, you’d be doing me a favor by forwarding it to someone else who might like it.