LA to The Bay
A birthday trip for the new mama
My dream for my 34th birthday was to wake up blissfully in sunny San Francisco, & frolic around town with my sweet new family. Most of that came true, actually all of that came true, but at what cost?! Baaaaby! A six - turned - 13 hour road trip, bloodshot eyes, and anxiety like I’ve never felt! San Francisco we made it. You were frigid, you were delicious, you were much too short - now I need a re-do! We ambitiously traveled with our newborn baby up the coast from LA, here’s my re-cap.
We planned a scenic drive… we would stop at various sites to rest and feed my (then) 2.5 month old son, while enjoying breathtaking views. It started off perfectly - packing up the car the night before, leaving bright and early, stopping off in quaint Santa Barbara for lunch. What we’d hoped would be a smooth second leg of the trip was actually a 7 hour scream-fest. As we pulled up to our Oakland AirBnb close to 9pm, I sat in the backseat tears streaming down my face, Kingston clutching my hand with his tiny fingers still whimpering. Why did I put my family through this? I thought. This was too much, he is too young. We quietly settled in, scarfed down a delicious pizza and promptly went to bed. That delicious pizza saved my sanity, and any shred of hope I had for the rest of the trip..
Let me forewarn you, this post is mainly about food, because, well - hi, breastfeeding mom here.
Day 2: Birthday
The joy of waking up, doing yoga (cuz it's ya b-day and ya man is manning the little one while you indulge in self), sipping tea in a gorgeous backyard overlooking apple trees, flowers, vegetables of every kind… yeah it’s some kind of wonderful! We started off with breakfast at The Well , a holistic cafe & market attached to East Bay Community Space. It’s an amazing inclusive, multicultural, forward thinking initiative! Be sure to check them out if you’re ever in Oakland! Shawn then surprised me with a beautiful drive up to Muir Beach. Winding roads through the forest, can you think of anything more romantic?! Scenic drives are one of my favorite things, relaxing in the car listening to music, letting your mind wander as your eyes delight in wherever you are. The Beach was beautiful, nestled in a little cove of swanky homes built into hills. I would also recommend going to Muir Woods to see the giant redwood trees - you need a reservation in advance; and don’t try to make one while you're there because you won’t have any phone service. We did not have a reservation…see why I need a re-do?
Our next venture was for lunch at VeganBurg on Haight street. I’ve always wanted a fast food vegan joint, and now, I shall look no further! It was actual heaven. Walking around, we caught a live band in rehearsal on a residential roof, with people cable dancing out of windows. I made up the term cable dancing, but as you can imagine they were attached to cables and hanging out of three story homes doing par-kur-esque choreography. It was brilliant. We headed back to our Oakland AirBnB to relax a bit and chill with the little one. We tucked in happily with our pizza from the night before. I would give this birthday an A+. We spent it exactly as I envisioned: good vibes, good scenery, good food!
Day 3: Yummmm
This day is all about the food because, well that's all we did. Cruise around, neighborhood surf and eat. We started at a cute little vegan chain for waffles & breakfast sandwiches, milled about the ‘Full House’ neighborhood and then headed to an early dinner/ late lunch. Walking is not for the faint of heart in San Fran, the hills are everything you imagine and more. Our final meal took us out with a bang, Wild Seed forever has my heart. I devoured corn fritters and the best curry I’d ever had, loaded with fresh cilantro. I enjoyed the cool August evening, sipping an impeccable charcoal lemonade, dining outdoors with my sweet little family. This was the highlight of the trip for me. A moment I could truly rest in. I can’t remember what Shawn had, all I know is I ordered more and took some home. As we left San Francisco for the last time (this trip) I realized just how magnificent it all was, we all were.
So how did I mom it? Well, we just took lots of breaks - feeding, changing, snacking… We had to ride the tide of each day and try to support one another as best as we could. As I look back now, I wish I could’ve relaxed more. I spent way too much time in my head instead of enjoying all these moments. I try to remember that I was a new mom in my fourth trimester and juggling A LOT! The unpredictability of new parenthood gave us a reality check. EVERYTHING takes longer than you expect, and just when you think you’re rollin… nope! Blow-out, outfit change, full melt-down, clean up aisle mom!
I am so happy we have this first family vacation to look back on. We learned so much; most of all that we can work together and create special memories. In San Fran Part Two (working title) I’ll share our much easier & shorter journey home, as well as some travel tips that could spare you some of the road trip angst.
Peace,
Khadija
