lighthouse sleepover

 

when i found out it is possible to have a sleepover at a lighthouse perched along the california coast, obviously i immediately started making plans.

 

indeed, it wasn’t long before i had booked three beds at pigeon point lighthouse hostel as part of a weekend getaway michelle and i schemed up to celebrate our dear josephine’s birthday.

 

although i think my previously mentioned obsession with finding the best of everything and having all work out perfectly got a little over-warm that weekend, we really had a lovely little trip. i really love this part of the world and i really love these girls.

 

we met at dishdash {currently my favourite restaurant in the world} for dinner before heading to the sea.

and got to the coast just in time for sunset (awesome hair huh?). the drive was magnificent.

and it was the night of the “super moon.” i had seen on the news that the moon was supposedly 14% brighter and 30% bigger than usual that night. yep, 14%.
we got to the lighthouse in the very last minutes of daylight.

michelle brought jo some birthday macaroons, which we stuck candles in, and we sang happy birthday down by the waves as the lighthouse beam scanned.

we had a true adventure trying to get a fire started to roast marshmallows.
let’s just say josephine’s girl scout skills and determination were brilliantly displayed.
we slept in a room full of bunk-beds with three strangers who became friends come morning.
and morning came gloriously – it was so fun to wake up and be right at the gorgeous edge of the earth.
we had breakfast (yogurt, fruit and granola trifle!) in front of the lighthouse overlooking the ocean.
we saw lots of seals hanging out on the rocks.
 
we explored the grounds and i couldn’t stop taking pictures.
 
the awesome owner of the hostel (who used the word “dude” like nobody’s business) suggested a beach to explore down the road a bit. can you spot the lighthouse in the distance?

we went hiking across the highway in the redwoods and made friends with some huge banana slugs.

and then we headed in to the fantastically cute town of pescadero.

we headed up a country road and found a neat little goal farm,
where they had a stunning garden and endless heavenly cheese samples.

 

 

already full of goat cheese, we had a
picnic of artichoke garlic bread, a
stacked sandwich, and one incredibly
large dill pickle!
{artichokes and garlic grow like crazy
in this very part of coastal california}

after lunch we wandered around town – everything was so quirky and charming.
we browsed through eclectic shops,
admired cute houses and churches,
swooned at the huge field of mustard
flowers, and bought some strawberries
at the farm stand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
we made one last stop at a pebbly beach on the way home to just lounge and listen to the waves.

happy birthday josephine!! i’m truly truly grateful for such a wonderful friend. i wish everyone could know josephine. she’s enriched my life and helped me be better in so many ways.