The Engagement at Point Arena

Tom and I love to travel up and down our West Coast, and feel pretty darn lucky to be able to jump in the car and head to a number of amazing places within just a few hours of Half Moon Bay. We've been up to the Northern California Coast several times, and Point Arena is one of our favorite places to stay.

There are a series of small cabins for rent that used to be housing for Coast Guard families while they were stationed at the lighthouse.  We managed to stay in our favorite one - The Head Keeper's Cottage.  Not super fancy, but ocean views as far as you can see out of both sides of the cottage and a kitchen large enough to feed an army!

After several hours of driving (and taking a wrong turn down a really really bad windy road!) we finally arrived to sunshine and blue skies.  We were both more than ready to jump of the car, and go for a quick walk before the expected storm started rolling in ... 

A fabulous California coastal location to watch crazy ocean storms, and when it's clear the starry skies are incredibly breath taking.  Last time we stayed here, we got up in the middle of the night to simply sit on the patio and stargaze - I can't even describe what that was like. Simply Magical.

BRRRRR... time to get the fireplace going and snuggle up with a special "Tom" cocktail!  Honestly, being at Point Arena always takes my breath away with the stunning wild, natural beauty surrounding us when we are here. It's one of the few times that I can actually relax and wind down with a good book, good music and great conversations with my boyfriend. Tom had other ideas though.

Totally surprised me with an engagement ring.... and I said yes.

P.S. The Go Fish Glasses can be found on our site!  Go Fish

Beach Decor for Fall Tip - Candlelight

We are pretty lucky to live right on the edge of so many wine regions here in Northern California; Napa, Livermore, Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Mendocino (on my birthday list!), Monterey Bay County, Los Gatos (in the Santa Cruz foothills) and the Sonoma Coast.

Needless to say, we have spent some time doing a little wine country exploring. (wine barrels at Concannon during their Fall 2010 Release Party)

Two things that our friends want to do when they come to the Bay Area; go to the beach, and go wine tasting. 

(picture taken at Gourmet Au Bay in Bodega Bay on the Sonoma Coast) 

Here we are with Suzanne and Cami on our whirlwind tour of Ladera Winery on Howell Mountain in Napa this past April.  It's one of our absolute favorite places to take our friends.

Fabulous day - we even got to see Robert Redford!!!  

Our family likes to go too!  (At Concannon with my kids, Allison and Alex, last November for Thanksgiving.)

We don't mind.  In fact, we have joined more than one wine club and have become pretty good tour guides!  It's been great fun, and we've created some wonderful memories with friends when they've come to visit.  

Now, what to do with all of the corks that I have saved?  I can't bear to simply throw them out, most of them have designs from the wineries, and for me it's a way to keep those memories of fun times with friends and family,  or romantic occasions with Tom....

Ah ha!  Saw a cool idea on Pinterest - using the corks in a candle hurricane vase, and thought I could probably recreate it with a coastal twist, adding sea glass and a few shells.  

Ingredients: (pretty darn simple!)

*1 large glass vase

*1 small glass vase (I used a skinny jar - recycled!)

assortment of wine corks

*sea glass - I kept mine to green, amber and white for fall 

*small seashells

*candle

Simply place the smaller glass vase inside of the larger glass vase 

and start layering with the corks and the sea glass.

Voila'!

So easy, even I could do this project!

We'll be linking over at Boogieboard Cottage today!