OBX Awesomeness 2012

Once a year, a bunch of my friends from college get together just to catch up and have fun. This year, we converged in the Outer Banks, NC for fun times at the beach.

Waves crashing along the shore at the Outer Banks.

It was the end of April, so the water wasn’t very warm – but that didn’t prevent me from going in!

Wading in the Atlantic Ocean. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Having fun in the waves. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Not pictured: the 45 minute swim I took the following afternoon. I LOVE swimming in the ocean, even if it’s a bit chilly! But the waters along San Francisco are too cold – and the undertow too strong – for me to just wade in. So I was happy to take the plunge in North Carolina!

We all had a good time, which included some wrestling on the beach:

Just goofing around at the beach.

One morning, Pat and I woke up super early to watch the sunrise on the beach. It was cloudy out – we never really caught the sun coming up over the water – but the light was still beautiful.

Sunrise on a cloudy day.

One of the best parts of the early morning at the beach is watching all the wildlife. We saw pelicans diving for fish and dolphins leaping out of the waves. And then we came across a skate, stranded upside-down on the sand. Pat managed to flip it right-side up, and it eventually caught a wave back into the ocean.

A beached skate returns to sea.

We were out enjoying the beach for quite awhile, but eventually got chased back inside by a brewing storm. Somehow we made it back to the beach house we were sharing with our friends before the rain got really bad!

Gathering storm at the beach.

Most of the rest of our long weekend was spent hanging out, playing games, chatting, and taking strolls on the beach.

What’s your favorite way to reunite with good friends?

What I wore:
Guest of Honor Dress by Effie’s Heart, via ModCloth. An easy, super comfortable jersey knit dress – perfect for a casual weekend at the beach!

[Photos by me except where otherwise noted.]

Florals and Denim and Stripes

For girls’ day out at Drybar, I wanted to wear something fun, feminine, and casual. This Effie’s Heart dress, with its jersey knit fabric, illusion neckline, and floral stripes, fit the bill perfectly!

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

It also happened to work with the mani I had painted earlier. :)

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

The day was beautifully sunny, but the wind made it a bit chilly – so I paired my dress with a Guess denim jacket. Altogether, a bit of a modern rockabilly look!

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

And a couple of chunky bracelets pulled everything together. :)

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Hurrah for girls’ day out!

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Dress: Blogging Molly Dress in Wallpaper, Effie’s Heart via ModCloth
Denim Jacket: Guess
Belt: Borrowed from another dress
Bracelets: vintage Anne Klein (silver link bracelet) and gifted (silver cuff)
Shoes: Pedro Garcia

Hoover’s Beef Palace: The Best Darn Breakfast in California

Earlier I blogged about my trip south to San Luis Obispo for wine tasting with Threadless peeps. My husband, Pat, and I had driven down for a brief weekend trip — on Sunday we drove back up to San Francisco. And since it was a Sunday, we decided we should get brunch on the way back home. We ended up at a place just off 101, in Templeton, called Hoover’s Beef Palace.

Presenting Hoover’s Beef Palace! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Now, the place is called a “Beef Palace” – but it only serves breakfast and lunch. So you better believe breakfast there is hardcore. And AMAZING.

Pat ordered the green chile omelet, and added sausage to it. What he hadn’t realized was that the green chile already had shredded pork in it — and it was awesome. Savory, hearty, and absolutely delicious (I know, because I stole a bite or two)! The home fries that came with it were perfectly cooked — tender with crispy edges.

Hoover’s Green Chile Omelet

I ordered the corned beef hash with eggs over medium and a biscuit with gravy. Everything was scrumptious – the corned beef hash was tender and flavorful, the eggs were beautifully cooked with runny yolks but fried whites, and the gravy was rich and meaty. I love biscuits and gravy, but too often it tastes just like a whole bunch of flour with a little broth & some sausage thrown it. This one was creamy and tasted like it had been made with meat drippings. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Hoover’s corned beef hash and biscuit with gravy

The food alone is worth the detour to Hoover’s if you’re in the area. But I enjoyed the atmosphere — not just for the cattle brands on the wall, but also for what I can only describe as a ranch-does-diner feel. And I also loved the fact that most of the clientele clearly knew the staff, and vice versa. So there may be a few random passers-by coming through (like my husband and me), but this is a local favorite.

And I only wish I lived a bit closer! I’m not kidding when I say it was the best breakfast I’ve had in California. It definitely ranks among my fave breakfasts ever.

What can I say? Hoover’s is the best! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Hoover’s Beef Palace Restaurant
401 N Main St
Templeton, CA 93465
(805) 434-2114

What I wore:
Dress: Blogging Molly Dress, Effie’s Heart via ModCloth
Cardigan: Trusted Essential Cardigan via ModCloth
Belt: Calderon, thrifted
Shoes: Hot for Hemlock Heel in Crimson, Chelsea Crew via ModCloth
Tights: Hue
Sunglasses: Kate Spade