My twin sister Lucy and I chat on a regular basis on the cellphone, however we realized the opposite day that since we’re at all times surrounded by pals and family, we hadn’t spent prolonged one-on-one time collectively in 12 years! (!!!) And generally you simply wish to twin it up. So, this weekend, we spent three days collectively in Northern California…
I arrived at SFO, together with trusty journey snacks and an excellent podcast episode. Each time I journey, I’m reminded of the McSweeney’s piece about enterprise males yelling in airports. You may’t unsee it!
First, I headed as much as Nick’s Cove in Tomales Bay. The drive from the airport was gorgeous, winding previous cows, rivers and eucalyptus groves. Since my sister needed to work that evening, I met my pals Kendra and Victoria, who stay close by.
Have you ever ever stayed at this resort? They’ve 12 cottages, and 5 are literally on the water.
How superb was our bed room view?!
We chatted on the balcony…
…and breathed in recent California air with scents of kelp and pine timber. I even love the odor of cow manure from the farms.
For dinner, we ordered cioppino fish stew and a giant salad on the resort’s restaurant and ate it out on the pier. Then we went again to our cottage and, feeling jet-lagged, I fell asleep whereas listening to my pals chatting. It jogged my memory of being a child and nodding off within the automotive whereas my mother and father talked quietly within the entrance seat. Nothing cozier. 🙂
The following day, my sister and I met up at Hog Island Oyster Co for lunch. I used to be so excited to see her, I sprinted to this desk the place she was ready.
How cute is she???
An extended-time California resident and fanatic, Lucy took me on a tour of the Level Reyes lighthouse, a grocery retailer with buffalo milk comfortable serve, the native bookstore and a market known as Toby’s. We additionally tried to go to an epic cheese store however have been too late! That evening, we stayed at Osprey Peak, a B&B run by a candy couple who whipped up an epic breakfast (assume: eggs, sausage, kale, avocado, recent fruit, native cheeses, do-it-yourself sourdough bread, do-it-yourself scones, do-it-yourself granola, orange juice, scorching espresso and teas…)
The following day, we headed to Sonoma and had lunch at Scribe Vineyard.
Our superb server, Justin, made the wine world really feel fascinating and gossipy, versus stoic and condescending.
You get snacks along with your wine tasting, and the menu at all times adjustments. I particularly preferred the garlicy potato chips.
We have been additionally fortunate sufficient to talk with Kelly Mariani, the chef, who’s a GENIUS and skilled at Chez Panisse. All the things bursts with taste. (She’s additionally pals with our advertising and marketing director Maureen — and the particular person Prince Harry as soon as hit on, in the event you should know!)
After Scribe, we went again to our resort to learn books and nap and attempt to persuade the opposite particular person to present shoulder rubs (“I’m the little sister by two minutes…” “However I got here allllll this strategy to see you…”) Then, since we have been already consuming our manner via the highway journey, we went to dinner at Valley Bar and Bottle. (In for a penny, in for a pound, as our British family would say.)
Residing 3,000 miles aside isn’t simple, however it does make sister time like this really feel additional particular. A number of occasions, we laughed so exhausting (at all times at one thing very random) that we needed to bend over and cross our legs and check out to not pee — omg it makes me snicker simply to sort this.
Lastly, I gave Lucy a giant hug and headed residence. Thanks, Lucy, and thanks, California! You’re each the perfect, with one in every of you being the very best, and I’ll go away that to you to duke out! (The reply is Lucy.) xoxoxo
The place do your family members stay? Are they shut or distant? How do you keep up a correspondence? xo
P.S. My sister’s home makeover, and a visit with Kendra and our teeny tiny infants.
(Lighthouse photograph by Raymond Forbes LLC/Stocksy. Golden Gate Bridge photograph by Rachel Dwyer/Stocksy.)