California Recap

We had a good friend get married in Malibu this past weekend, and sort of last minute, decided we would take advantage of Drew being a free flyer, and bring her along for the ride. 

She hadn't met a lot of our family and friends out in California, and I figured it would be easier for my parents to just keep Leo while we were gone, so it was sort of a win-win. 

Thankfully our friends in California have everything we needed - strollers, pack and plays, etc. so I shipped out some diapers and food, and we took our small carry-on's and went to LA for a quick weekend getaway. 

The flight to LA, we gave Drew a B+. She slept a bit, ate a bit, was a happy for a bit, and fussed for a bit. The flight time to LA from Chicago is closer to 4 hours, so it's a long ride, but for all things considered, she did well, and I had a few mimosas so I didn't really mind either way. ;) 

My best friend in LA, Shelby, picked us up at LAX and then we decided to hit up the grocery store and In'N'Out for a quick lunch.

I bathed Drew, let her crawl around for a bit, and then hit the ground running and went to happy hour at our old favorite wine bar Esters. 

We met up with my cousins Erin and Danny, who just had a baby a few weeks ago and then the six of us went to dinner at Cassia. We sat outside, Drew took a catnap in Baby Emmett's bassinet, and then Joel was nice enough to take her home so I could hang out with everyone for one more drink after dinner.

Drew never really adjusted to the time change, so she was always up before 6...but we are both pretty early risers so it didn't matter too much. Joel went out for a run, and then Shelby and I started the day at our old favorite yoga studio for Sculpt. 

We came home, showered, and then headed to the Westfield Century Mall. I used to go to this mall three or four times a week. It was me and Leo's spot. It's an outdoor mall, was always very stroller friendly, but right before we moved, they closed it down for a MAJOR overhaul. It is SO beautiful now, and Javier's (a really great Mexican restaurant in Newport Beach) opened up, so we went there for lunch.

A maragrita at lunch signifies vacation to me. 

 

 

 

When we got home, Joel had some work to do, so Shelby and I snuck away for a thai foot massage. They have a few foot spas here in Chicago, but I have never been, and they're SO good in LA (and only $35!). 

After the massage, we visited with our girlfriend Juli who came by for a beer and then we headed to our friend Brent and Dawn's for the evening.

 

 

They were so nice to host everyone and their kids for dinner - and it was probably the most fun night of the entire trip, because it truly felt like old times. 

 

Drew fell asleep at their house, so we stayed late on the deck, opened a few too many bottles of wine, and just had the best time. 

Saturday morning Joel went for a long mountain run with his old running group, and Shelby and I decided to do the Santa Monica stairs....except I had to do them with Drew strapped into the Ergo.

And no joke, my calves are still sore. 

We went to lunch on Saturday at Plan Check for Joel's favorite burger in LA, and then spent the rest of the afternoon hanging at Shelbys and watching our babies play together.

Saturday afternoon, we had a babysitter come to the house so that we could head up to Malibu for our friends wedding.

The wedding was spectacular - and it was so much fun to see all of our old friends. 

 

Somehow, Sunday morning arrived bright and early, and we were on the first flight out of Los Angeles. 

As sad as I was to leave, I was so ready to get home to Leo. He did fantastic, but finally on Sunday when I facetimed him from the airport, he asked me to bring his sister home. 

Cali Getaway

Getting prepped to leave Leo and Drew for a long weekend deserved a vacation in itself! It ain't easy, but it was totally worth it.

I'm still nursing Drew, so I had been pumping everyday to prepare for this trip. She had tons of extra milk, so that helped me feel ok about leaving. Plus, my parents, in laws, and Joel know the routine as well as I do, so I truly was able to leave and relax.

Thursday morning, I hit the road with a full ipad full of shows and movies, a few new magazines, ordered a drink on the plane and had a perfect flight into Los Angeles.

My best friend Shelby picked me up at the airport and we headed straight for lunch at The Strand in Manhattan Beach. 

 

We split a bottle of Rose and a burger, and then decided to do a little shopping before heading home to freshen up.

 

Our first night out was with my two other best girlfriends - Erin and Dawn. The mall I used to live by in LA got a hugggge overhaul, so I was eager to see it. We ended up having an awesome dinner at Javier's and I couldn't recommend it more.  

 

We had a long dinner, a few drinks and then took all of our mom butts home before 9pm so that we could get a good nights sleep. My how things have changed ;)

Friday morning Shelby and I got up and went to yoga sculpt at Core Power. We used to take the class together every Friday morning so it was so bittersweet to do it again a year later.

After yoga we hit up Marshalls - because it's literally the best Marshall's I've ever been to, and we got a bunch of house stuff for Shelby. 

We stopped in all of our sweaty clothes for my favorite salad ever at Napa Valley Grille, sat outside, and just enjoyed a leisurely lunch.  

 

After lunch, we decorated Shelby's place with all of the fun stuff we found and then went to a foot spa just a few blocks away from where I used to live. It was the most heavenly hour - just perfect.

After our massages, we went home, showered, and then met Dawn and Erin for dinner at Katsuya in Brentwood. 

We had such a fun girls dinner - and I feel so lucky that we can all pick up right where we left off.  

Saturday morning we had planned to do the Santa Monica stairs, but the weather in California was cruddy the entire time, so we decided to go back to CorePower and do another yoga sculpt class. I'm still soooo sore but it felt so good to get in a couple great workouts while I was away indulging in all of the food and booze. 

After yoga, we went to Coral Tree Cafe for brunch with my cousin, his new son, and my aunt and uncle who happened to be in town visiting too. 

After a long brunch, we made a quick pit stop back at Marshalls for just a few more things and then showered up so we could meet my darling girlfriend Ami at the new Waldorf Astoria for drinks.

 

The Waldorf had been under construction for probably the last 2 years that we were living in LA, and its now done and seriously spectacular. The rooftop is a must-see if you are in LA. The three of us split a bottle of champagne, caught up, laughed, and had a pretty amazing time people watching (including spotting Dr. Phil and his wife).

After happy hour, we raced back home, and ordered pizza with Dawn and Erin's babies and husbands - which was the perfect way to cap off my weekend in LA.

 

These people in LA (and one of my best friends was out of town, so Beth - if you're reading this - it wasn't the same without you) are truly my family and it was so fun, relaxing, amazing, sad, fun, and perfect to be with all of them. 

I took a 6:30am flight home so that I could be reunited with my babies by lunchtime and I'm so glad I did. 

 

We celebrated Mother's Day very causally with my parents and sisters - grilled out at my parents house - and then got home and relaxed - it couldn't have been a more perfect weekend and I'm so, so thankful for it. 

California Getaway

Isn't it funny that when you don't fly with a baby, the airplane part becomes part of the vacation? We pulled out of our house in the uber and felt like we were free as birds!

We had been flying a ton of Virgin America when we were flying back and forth to Chicago and LA, and since now the airline is merging with Alaska, we cashed in a few points so that we could upgrade ourselves. It was such a fun, relaxing flight, and kicked off our vacation on the right foot.

As soon as we landed, my best friend Shelby picked us up from the airport and took us right to Joel's favorite LA restaurant, Fishing with Dynamite. 

We indulged in tons of rose, oysters, dessert....we just took a long, leisure lunch and enjoyed every second. 

 

 

 

We stayed with Shelby, who happens to live in our old building. It was so fun/weird/amazing/sad/etc. to be back in our old building, but we rallied, and really just enjoyed feeling back home.

Friday night was honestly perfect. We put it put it out to a few friends that we would be in LA and met up for happy hour.

Being with these girls was just what I needed. It is like no time has passed at all, we pick up from where we left off, and we can all be our true selves. 

Happy hour moved into dinner, and we all drank way too much catching up back at Shelby's, soaking in every minute together that we could. 

Saturday morning, Shelby and I started the morning off right with 8 sets of the Santa Monica stairs. 

Not kidding, my calves are still killing me. 

We had coffee back with Shelby and her sweet baby Tucker that I miss everyday, and just had the best time ever.

Joel and I snuck away for a lunch date at A.O.C. which was so much fun. 

If you live in LA, their brunch is bomb.  

We got back to Shelby's right before 2:30pm, spent some time hanging, and then got ready for our dear friend Ami and Alex's spectacular wedding in Bel Air.

The wedding location was breathtaking, and I was so glad we got plenty of time to soak in the ocean.

The wedding was so lovely (personal vows get my every time), Ami's dad's speech was on of the best I've ever heard, we met such cool people at the wedding, and we had just an amazing time in the company of such kindness and love.

 

 

 

Sunday morning was a little brutal but after coffee and bagels, we rallied with Shelby and Tucker and drove down to San Diego so we could spend some time with Joel's brother's family. They welcomes a new baby in January and we couldn't wait to get our hands on her.

We spent the day relaxing, soaking in baby cuddles, and being together. 

The four of us, and our sweet niece Evie, snuck away for a really, really nice dinner in San Diego. 

 

We loved being together, even though it was way too short, and somehow, Monday morning rolled and we were en route to the airport. 

We had the absolute worst flight home of my life. The last 45 minutes I actually thought our flight was going to crash. A few people were throwing up in front of us, I was hysterically crying, and grown men were hollering out every time we tipped, dipped, and whipped. It sucked so. horribly. bad. 

I honestly kissed the ground when we touched down - and was even that much more thankful to get my baby Leo in my arms.

A good weekend away, good for Joel and I, and so, so good to get home.