a san diego girlfriend getaway

When you move to San Diego, you’re fortunate to get a lot of visitors. And when it snows like it’s the End of Days in Boston, I get to have one of my best friends leave the Tundra for a little San Diego getaway.

Considering her Vortex-plagued past few weeks, my mission was to provide my best pal, Shilpa, with outdoorsy, signature SoCal fun. So we hiked Torrey Pines, had smoothies at an aerial yoga studio-meets-organic cafe, hit the beach, got blowouts (for a dose of extra-girly entertainment), and ate tacos at Puesto. The Hyatt Regency La Jolla also generously offered me a stay in one of their newly renovated rooms. It was the ideal way to feel like we were getting away without going far. (It also gave her a break from sleeping on our couch!)

All that to say, I’m feeling extra relaxed and rejuvenated at the end of this weekend. Ah, staycations. They’re a beautiful thing.

Here’s a peek at our weekend itinerary:

The clouds parted just in time for our hike through Torrey Pines State Reserve, making the water look extra brilliant. Post workout, we rewarded ourselves with smoothies and a vegan lunch at Trilogy Sanctuary. I know, just so obnoxiously Southern California. All that was missing was a green juice.

Yes, I know the rest of the country is experiencing real winter, but it was pretty chilly for San Diego this weekend. We stepped into the cozy Pannikin Coffee & Tea — coffee for me, coconut-ginger green tea for her, and a seat by the fire for the both of us.

One of my favorite bougainvillea spots near Windansea Beach. Honest to blog, I’m not attempting one of those staged, looking-off-into-the-distance poses; Shilpa just makes me laugh that hard.

Cocktails and appetizers by the fire pit at Michael’s, one of the restaurants at the Hyatt Regency. We asked the waiter to switch the TV to Bravo, and I’m not ashamed to admit that.

This being a girlfriend getaway and all, we thought it was only appropriate to indulge in something spa-related. I had been hanging on to a gift card for a blowout at Benefit’s La Jolla boutique, which focuses mostly on makeup application and its much-touted brow bar—and the employees are not afraid to sell you on it! Fair enough, especially because they did an excellent job with my friend’s brows. I was going for a beachy-wave blowout, and though I’m not sure the end result was quite that, it was still fun to get dolled up after a long day out.

An early dinner at Puesto, followed by heading back to the hotel and into bed by 8 p.m. Shilpa’s excuse was jet lag, but I’m just a granny. Truth be told, since I don’t have a TV at home, I get excited to watch bad TV for way too long in hotel rooms.

One of my favorite treats is hotel breakfasts. I’m not sure what it is about it—perhaps it’s the classic dishes (i.e. French toast) or the hefty portions, but at hotels, I just relish every bite of my favorite meal of the day. Yesterday’s was extra special because the Hyatt treated us to room service.

After checking out of the hotel and before settling in for a cheese plate and the (very boring) Oscars, Shilpa and I ventured out for a long walk through Balboa Park so we could burn off that French toast—and so Teddy could tote around the dirty stuffed animal he found in the canyon. As a side note, I’m so thankful to live in my quiet, little residential ‘hood where it’s possible to stand in the middle of an intersection for a picture with #teddygram. We’re not in Manhattan anymore, Toto Teddy.

Happy Monday!

Disclaimer: Our room and meals at the Hyatt Regency were complimentary. All opinions are my own.