A Fig in Sweden Portland

she calls it a "hooray"

The rest of us know it as a "parade." And that's where we spent our Saturday morning, standing at 4th and Oak watching the Portland Rose Festival parade and thinking:

1. It's so great to be back in America.

2. It's so great to have a child, so you do things like spending an entire Saturday morning at a parade.

3. Why did I sell my oboe?

I would love to be like one of these guys in 20+ years:

 

But Lewis wants me to be one of these gals instead:

 
 
 

Cali road trip, part 2: "chichi-by-the-sea"

We knew Carmel was a bit upscale based on our Frommer's book and lodging rates. But when we drove into town, the chichi-ness was seriously over the top. This is a small beach town, yet it has a Tiffany's and Coach store. Every parking spot was taken by either a Mercedes convertible or Mercedes SUV. People were dressed to the nines and pushing their frou-frou dogs in strollers. My first impression: Crap, why didn't I pick Santa Cruz as our relaxing vacation spot? That town (pictured above) seemed super cute when we stopped for breakfast on the way down Highway 1.

But once the Memorial Day chichi crowd took off in their chichi cars, we were left with a much more down-to-earth little gem of a place on the Monterey Peninsula.

We LOVED every minute and every breathtaking view of our vacation.

Awesome thing about Carmel #1: 17-mile drive

17-mile drive takes you through privately owned Pebble Beach, which includes mega-exclusive homes and mega-gorgeous coastline (and the famous golf course that has hosted several U.S. Opens). Sophie fell asleep in the car, so we pulled over and sat on a picnic table in one of the most picturesque spots I've ever been to. As you can see, Lewis wasn't thinking at all about work.

If you go: Bring your beach and picnic gear and make a day of it. Or, if you dine at one of the Pebble Beach resort restaurants, they'll deduct the $10 gate fee from your bill. That's what we did because we didn't realize how awesome the area would be and didn't pack our lunch.

Awesome thing about Carmel #2: Point Lobos

Hello, turquoise coves filled with seals! This state park is just 3 miles south of Carmel, and includes lots of easy hikes out to stunning overlooks, where you can look for seals, otters and whales. Bring your binoculars!

Awesome thing about Carmel #3: Watching surfers at sunset

Our B&B, Edgemere Cottages, was just one block from the beach. And we took full advantage of our seaside location morning, noon and night. My favorite moments of our trip included a sunny morning walk and a sunset stroll alone one night while Lewis put Sophie to bed. I sat on a bench and watched the surfers do their thing. It was on that evening that I decided that Lewis and I will retire to a beach town somewhere. And that maybe I should learn how to surf one day.

Awesome thing about Carmel #4: Driving the Big Sur coast

Yup, it's this spectacular.

Awesome thing about Carmel #5: Monterey's Cannery Row and Aquarium

Monterey is more port town than beach town — known for Steinbeck's Cannery Row and its world-class aquarium, where Sophie LOVED the jellies and got up the nerve to touch a live starfish. (The super-cute dock area filled with restaurants was renamed Cannery Row in honor of the book.)

If you go: Eat at Turtle Bay Taqueria downtown and order the artichoke quesadillas.

Awesome thing about Carmel #6: What else? The beach!

One mile of white sand with Pebble Beach's 18th hole as a backdrop.

Bye, Carmel. Hope we'll be back again someday.

two months to go

Lewis caught me barefoot in the kitchen, looking very pregnant.

cali road trip, part 1: San Fran

Let me start by saying that we did not leave our hearts in San Francisco.

I was actually kind of shocked. All this time, this city has beckoned me. So when we planned a week-long beach vacation to Carmel, I begged Lewis for an SF pitstop. We had a great 40 hours there, including a fun reunion with my college friend Karen, whom I hadn't seen in like 15 years. We ate well and saw a lot of beautiful murals, incredible bridges, huge hills, cute houses and the most uplifting and energetic church service I have ever been to (Glide Church).

So how on earth did we not feel the love? It had a lot to do with its size. San Francisco is a city's city. A real city. I thought Portland was a real city, especially compared to Älmhult or even Denver. But if Portland was a tugboat, San Fran would be a tanker. We were simply overwhelmed. I think it has a lot to do with its geography. As an island, it has nowhere else to go. It's a densely packed concrete jungle. The Pacific's New York. But, I say, if you are looking for a New York experience, just go to New York.

On a related note, what's the big deal with In-n-Out? We didn't get it — and that includes Lewis, who had his first burger in 20 years there.

For the time being, our hearts remain in Portland, and that's a nice way to feel after visiting one of the world's top cities.

But, Carmel ... oh Carmel, we'd come back to visit you any day. Trip details to come ...