pretty by the bay

We’re on a mini vacation down south! No, not the real south, but the south known to most Bay Area residents – southern California. Specifically, we’re staying in Ojai, a tiny town near Santa Barbara. The weather is spectacular – warm and breezy, but not too hot. It’s nice to be away from San Francisco’s chilly summer fog.

Though I was anxious to get to our resort and start relaxing by the pool, I asked Corey if we could take the scenic route (i.e., Highway 1) and drive down the California coast to a culinary destination I’ve long wanted to try: Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant. They have a lovely cookbook and a delicious brunch menu, so the promise of baked goods was more than enough to convince me that an extra hour or so in the car would be worth it.

First impression: this place is TINY! You could blink and drive right by it. I loved the rustic feel, though – it was like having breakfast in a log cabin.

When Corey and I have brunch, we almost always share both a savory and sweet dish. I need the protein (now more than ever), but I can’t live without a taste of a sweet pancake, waffle or French toast. For our savory dish, we selected the three-egg omelet with avocado, bacon and cheese.

Accompanying the omelet was a lovely green salad and an even lovelier piece of toasted, housemade brioche. (Side note: as an appetizer, you can order an assortment of woodfired breads served with butter and sea salt. But seeing as I married a man who is not a carb-glutton like me, the brioche had to suffice.)

Fear not. Additional carbs were consumed in the form of a nine grain pancake with strawberries. Please note that this is NOT your average pancake – it’s cooked in a cast-iron skilled in the restaurant’s woodburning oven, and its texture is one part pancake, one part coffee cake. It’s dense and delicious.

Our only complaints: the pancake could have come with a few more berries, and the coffee was outrageously overpriced. However, the overall experience was delicious, and I’m glad we went.

After a fairly uneventful drive that sadly ended with an hour’s worth of bad traffic in Santa Barbara, we arrived at our destination. I’ll post pics of the beautiful grounds, but for now, check out our sweet room!

This is unlike any vacation we’ve ever taken – we’re simply taking a few days to lounge by the pool, enjoy a few spa treatments and soak up the SoCal sun. There’s no agenda, no concrete plans, but I’m sure we’ll be eating more fabulous food in and around the resort.