We were en route home from our Maui vacation when I started scheming another beach getaway for Spring Break – the kids were so happy in Hawaii (who wouldn’t be?!) and Juliette had a week off in April that we hadn’t booked anything for. Flights to LA were cheap and it seemed an easy way to get a couple of days worth of sun and sand. To Cali!
The minute I said “easy”, I think I jinxed our plans – no such thing with a toddler in tow. The low-grade fever that Isaac had been muddling through all week spiked the evening before our flight and so in the wee hours of the morning I pushed Isaac’s and my departure back a day in hopes he would make a turnaround within the next 24 hours. Shane and Juliette left town without us and lived their best baby-free lives on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Though the circumstances weren’t ideal, I’m glad they got this time together. Hollywood or bust.
Isaac’s fever broke on Friday morning, about four hours after I pushed our flight, so we had a chill day at home together and were travel-ready by Saturday morning. We missed our other halves!
We eased into LA life on Saturday afternoon with a trip to In-N-Out and a couple of hours at our AirBnB’s pool.
SUN! My kids look so good in the sun.
Isaac was not so much a fan of the relatively cool-watered pool (spoiled Maui boy…), but he was content to spend a couple of minutes in the oversized hot tub.
I was completely tuckered on Saturday evening, exhausted and maybe a bit under the weather myself, so I gulped down a green smoothie from the corner cafe and turned in early. VACATION. Hardly the fancy-free fun it used to be, but still, I was glad to be under one roof with my people, away from what was feeling like a never-ending winter in Seattle.
Sunday was a new day, with a morning made bright by coffee and pastries at Gjusta. We chowed down on croissants and scones in their sweet little courtyard and put together the day’s itinerary.
Isaac really liked his blackberry scone.
Next stop was Tongva Park, which was a favorite of Juliette’s on her first trip to Santa Monica several years ago. It’s funny – this playground looked so much bigger when she was so much smaller! And now she looks so grown-up, wearing her dad’s puffy vest and helping her brother down the slide. Time marches on.
We strolled over to the pier from the playground and took a peek at the beach before booking it back to our AirBnB so that we could get Isaac down for a solid nap rather than just letting him doze on the go.
We…didn’t make it. Rascal fell asleep on the way back and then woke up the moment we stepped inside, fresh as a daisy and rearing to go again. I, however, was ready for a rest, so I popped on Bluey and we all lazed around for a bit before our condo started feeling much too small to contain Isaac’s energy.
To the beach! Shane hit the pickleball courts while I walked with the kids to nearby Venice Beach. Though Isaac seemed eager to play, his feet became rooted to the sand the minute I set him down. Run free, Buddy! RUN!
Or…let your sister do the running for you.
Shane picked us up and we headed to True Food Kitchen for lunch and colorful drinks.
Though it was gray and a bit chilly that day, Juliette begged to head back to the pool, so we spent some time there after lunch watching our little fish swim free.
We drove over to Abbot Kinney, my favorite Venice drag, for dinner and found ourselves at the courtyard of De Buena Planta sipping margaritas and eating chips with guac. This girl’s got next-level style, huh? Such a cool kid.
Her brother, meanwhile, lacks a little class. Can’t take this boy anywhere.
Chips for dinner, ice cream for dessert. When in LA…
We were back at Abbot Kinney on Monday morning in search of brunch. The Butcher’s Daughter was light-filled and lovely and our server was very friendly when Isaac dumped water all over our table.
We took a stroll through the Venice canals after brunch – I’d never explored this area before and though the waters were a bit mucky, the neighborhood held its own sort of charm.
Isaac befriended some ducks and we had a heck of a time getting him to say goodbye to them.
But then we stumbled upon a sweet little playground that served as a perfect distraction from his feathered friends.
Vacation with a toddler is exhausting, but the naps are next-level.
We spent Monday afternoon at El Matador State Beach in Malibu, picnicking and playing. This is one of my most favorite SoCal spots.
Someone got over their aversion to sand…
Again, a bit gray, a bit chillier than hoped, but still so beautiful. Juliette and I took a little stroll while eating the matcha shortbread I had picked up from Whole Foods and I felt so happy to be oceanside with my girl.
We got back from our walk and Juliette started on a sand castle that Isaac kept threatening to demolish, so I walked him down the beach and we sat together at the water’s edge. We spent awhile tossing stones and I was thrilled to learn that Buddy inherited his dad’s and sister’s love of rock-skipping.
We rolled up to our condo around 5:00, planning to rest a bit before getting dinner. Shane parked the car and I got the kids out and suddenly Shane was very nervously patting his pockets and then rooting around under the front seat and then sharing the unfortunate news that our door key was missing – it must have fallen out of his pocket at the beach. He got a hold of our host, who was 2 hours away, so we quickly adapted our plans and Shane dropped me off in Santa Monica with the kids while he drove to meet our host at a halfway point. To the pier!
Juliette, it seems, is getting a bit old for the merry-go-round, but she hopped on a horse for her brother’s sake.
Next stop was the ferris wheel, which Juliette and I loved, but Isaac was undecided about.
He couldn’t believe we were asking him to sit still for a 10 whole minutes.
We walked up to the 3rd Street Promenade to kill a little more time and grab some food. I took Juliette into her first Urban Outfitters and we bought a bottle of electric blue nail polish (as if she wasn’t already hip enough!). Shane picked us up, key in hand, just as Juliette and I were finishing our evening tea and hot chocolate and we made it back to the condo in time for Isaac to get to bed at a reasonable hour. Look at us, going with the flow!
Tuesday we packed up our things and said goodbye to our little home at Marina del Rey.
Pastries and coffee at Tartine…
And then Juliette and I spent an hour romping around Manhattan Beach while Isaac dozed in the car. It was chilly that morning as well, so we steered clear of the water, but we hunted for shells and played tic-tac-toe and drew pictures in the sand.
Juliette won our long-jump contest.
Isaac’s awake! Kind of.
We dusted the sand off our feet, grabbed a quick bite, and were soon airport-bound. This trip didn’t go entirely as planned, what with the fever and the gray skies and the lost key, but then again, not much does go as planned these days! We proved ourselves adaptable, if nothing else. Sweatshirts can be beach-wear, too.
