Lifestyle Blog – Page 6 – …on the B.L.

San Diego Beaches

July 15, 2017September 8, 2019 RaeAnna

I meant to post as I was on vacation… Time ran away with me, and I ended up reading far less than I meant to.

I was really feeling myself on the beach at Coronado. It’s a beautiful beach with a view of the ocean and Point Loma. The sand has flecks of gold in it; well, I don’t know if it’s gold, but it seems like it’s gold.

I have loved Coronado since I was little. My parents brought me here when I was very young. I went back by myself at nineteen, which is when I really fell in love with the island. I visited several times during college for vacation. I love staying on Coronado because it is bustling during the day quieting down a lot after dark. You don’t even need a car once you’re there because everything is so close by. The food is great. There are tons of super fancy hotels to choose from. I highly suggest Coronado as a place to stay for a weekend or a month, if you can afford it. I have read many books by the beach here. Also the houses are amazing, so I suggest walking around just to look at the beautiful houses, gardens, and gates.

Due to traveling with my beautiful boxer-mix Beauvoir, Beau for short, I ended up at more dog beaches than people beaches. And by more I actually mean: I only went the the beach once without her. She was a sandy mess, but so worth the exhaustion it brought on!

San Diego is so incredibly dog friendly. Almost every beach in the area has a section that is dog friendly. My favorite dog beaches being: Coronado Dog beach, Ocean Beach dog beach, Fiesta Island dog beach, and Del Mar. All of which are super dog friendly! It’s amazing. Although, it’s not an ideal place to read! Lots of barking. Lots of running around. Lots of fun for everyone but the books! Coronado Dog Beach is West from the Hotel Del Coronado and bumps up against the Naval Base on the island. Ocean Beach Dog Beach is a few blocks away from the main drag in Ocean Beach. Beau really enjoyed this beach because there is an area more inland with very few waves. Beau is scared of waves, so this was a winner for us. The whole neighborhood is extremely dog friendly. There are awesome cliffs to climb next to the pier. Fiesta Island has a reputation for being one of the best dog beaches in the country; it’s gorgeous. Del Mar is North of San Diego. It’s a really beautiful dog beach, but the downside is that dogs have to be leashed during the summer. Beau was a bit upset by this. She couldn’t run around and be her normally social self at this dog beach, but she ended up having a good time anyways.

I had a great time hanging out at the beaches in San Diego. They are some of my favorite, but the ocean is chilly. Be prepared!

One of the best doughnut shops in the country (no exaggeration), is in downtown San Diego. Donut Bar has amazingly creative concoctions and yummy coffee too. I didn’t want to eat in downtown, so the donuts and I went to the beach with Beau! Before leaving, one of the employees brought a treat out for my dog. “No dog left behind.”

Anyways, I enjoyed a book, donuts, and coffee on the beach at Coronado. It was a rough way to spend the day!

Houston, On the Town

Colette Miller Wings

July 3, 2017June 23, 2019 RaeAnna

A week and a half ago, I got to head to downtown Houston. Specifically 1600 Smith Street. Really beautiful! Go check it out if you have the chance. There is this an awesome mural by Colette Miller. She is known for her angel wings traveling all over the country to put display them. She is a Los Angeles based artist. Extremely talented!

Normal angel wings take people off to heaven, but for me they carried me away with a book. So… it’s my version of heaven!

I am heading off on a road trip today, so I wanted to post the wings as they carry me off on my next adventure! To San Diego, Los Angeles, and the Grand Canyon. Maybe I’ll be able to track down another set of Colette Miller’s wings in her city this time.

Experiences, Travel

Bald Head Island

June 1, 2017September 8, 2019 RaeAnna

I actually visited Bald Head Island, North Carolina over Memorial weekend. I took so many pictures around the island for my Bookstagram. Between the fact I loved the island immensely and all the pictures I took, it is very easy to write about the lovely little island just South of Wilmington.

Bald Head Island is home to Old Baldy Lighthouse, a vast swamp, gorgeous wildlife, and a lovely collection of houses. It can only be reached by ferry, an expensive but worth it ferry. On the ferry, you see islands and gorgeous houses, which epitomize the North Carolina style with windows overlooking the sea and sprawling front porches. Sailing into Bald Head Island’s harbor, the lighthouse is visible past the trees and buildings. Along the coast you’ll see beautiful houses, beaches, and wildlife stretching behind. Right off the ferry, there are restaurants and a few shops lining the harbor.

Walking off the gang plank, I made a beeline for the lighthouse. On the way, the first thing I noticed was the utter lack of cars. No cars. None. The people got around by way of golf carts, bicycles, or their feet. The houses lack garages. At first, it’s disconcerting, but then I noticed there are miniature garages tucked into the tree line by the houses to accommodate the golf carts. I love the absence of cars. Golf carts have a quiet hum, unlike the rev of car engines. It provides a quiet background, allowing the sounds of nature to permeate the soul and calming the inner chaos life imposes.

The lighthouse is a towering structure dating back to 1817. It was an active lighthouse for over a hundred years between 1818 and 1935 bearing witness to the civil war. It is the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina. It takes a few minutes to climb to the top, but it is worth it. Climbing stairs until the very top, you have to climb up a short ladder and through a narrow hole. The top is a 360 degree wall of mirrors looking out onto the ocean and the entirety of the island. Below you can see the church steeple poking out through the thick tree tops. It’s hot at the top of the lighthouse with very little air movement, but the view is worth it.

There is a beautiful bridge crossing from the harbor over the swamp to the lighthouse, a quaint church, historical places, and houses surrounded by trees. Unfortunately, Nicholas Sparks and his movies have put the image of North Carolina in everyone’s minds. I’ve spent some time in North Carolina over the past few years because my best friend is stationed there in the military. I had never seen the North Carolina Nicholas Sparks depicts until I wandered around Bald Head Island, and begrudgingly I understand why he writes so obsessively about the state… It’s beautiful and serene. As ridiculous as it sounds, the post office even subscribes to this calm North Carolina aesthetic.

It is amazing how happy and welcoming the citizens of Bald Head Island are. Everyone smiled and waved at everyone else. It was like being home in the Midwest but on steroids. It’s how genial I image the North Pole to be on Christmas Eve. The island is populated with older people who have decided to retire there, vacationers, and those who spend holidays in their houses on the island.

I fell in love with every aspect of the island. Every spot is a reader’s paradise. The sounds of nature help you get lost in your book if you can pull your focus away from the natural beauty surrounding you. There are so many beautiful spots to cozy in with a good book. The church has a beautiful front garden with benches shaded by trees; it’s what I’ve always imagined the secret garden to look like. There are spots overlooking the harbor and simultaneously the swamp with views of the lighthouse and everything nature.

I didn’t have enough time sufficiently explore the island, but I think I could spend weeks walking around acquainting myself with this beach side community. Someday, I hope to rent a house for a month on the island to read, write, and wander. A girl can dream.