The Ultimate California Highway 1 Road Trip Guide

I grew up in the small coastal town of Half Moon Bay, located 30 miles south of San Francisco. Driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway (also known as Highway 1) was a regular occurrence in my childhood. I didn't realize until later on in my adulthood how lucky I was to experience such scenic ocean views everyday. As a local I love to share the love and tell where to find my hidden gems spots.

Beginning from North to South, I've built the ultimate guide with the top spots along Highway 1 worth pulling over for!

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Sneak Peek at the Christmas Prime Rib Dinner from Raley’s

There’s a good chance you spent the week of Thanksgiving running around the grocery store picking up ingredients, followed by long hours laboring in the kitchen. Give yourself a break from all the frantic shopping and cooking with a premade holiday meal from Raley’s.

We were lucky enough to get an early preview of Raley’s Prime Rib Christmas dinner. We had no problems being taste testers of this family sized feast!

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Best Photography Locations in San Francisco

I first started my blogging career back when I lived in the bay, and we spent pretty much every weekend looking for new San Francisco photography spots for the blog and Instagram. Over the years we covered every corner of the City by the Bay and captured memorable pictures on my camera.

In this guide I’ve got over 30 San Francisco photography locations. Some of them are familiar iconic landmarks and others are hidden gems known by locals. Both San Fran newbies and veterans will find inspiration for your next urban photography adventure, I promise!

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Planning Guide to a Traditional Nochebuena Holiday Celebration

My household is comprised of mixed heritages so we celebrate the holidays in all kinds of ways. My husband’s family comes from Mexico and on my side we are mostly English and Irish. Our kids are lucky to have so much diversity because it just means more reasons celebrate!

Christmas Day is the big event for most Western cultures with a morning family brunch, opening gifts and then a big Christmas dinner. In Latino households Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena which translate to β€œA Good Night” in Spanish. Nochebuena is the biggest evening of celebration for traditional Mexican families and it’s the one my husband remembers most from his childhood.

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Checklist and Shopping Guide for Second Baby

We’re about to re-enter the crazy world of labor and delivery, and then having a newborn. But this time around we also have a 2-year-old toddler in the mix, which definitely makes things a bit more complicated.

By the time your second baby arrives you’re already in full-blown parent mode. Fortunately we already know how some of the journey ahead will go, but learning to balance our attention to two children is a new experience.

Having the right gear can definitely make the transition easier for both the parents and the children. You may also want to refresh your baby gear with new and upgraded products. Some items can be re-used from your first baby, and others may have to replaced.

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Locally Made Holiday Foods and Desserts in Sacramento

The city of Sacramento does an excellent job of making the holiday season extra special. It’s one of the few places in California where the trees change into vibrant colors, and the fall foliage really hits its peak the week of Thanksgiving. For Christmas there’s twinkling lights and trees adorning the Downtown and Midtown streets.

There’s many locally owned restaurants, artisans and foodie shops in the Sacramento area that have seasonal offerings. You can find your favorite holiday foods and sweets available during the months of November and December. These foods and treats are either available to order online and take home or you can enjoy them on-site.

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San Francisco to San Diego Road Trip Itinerary

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and my husband’s entire family lives in San Diego. Needless to say we have spent many vacations road tripping from Northern California to Southern California. Over the years we have become bonafide experts on driving up and down the state of California.

This California road trip guide will break down all the driving route options and highlight the pros and cons of each one. When you’re planning out your trip itinerary you should account for gas stops, restroom stops, food options and sightseeing. Some road trips are meant for sightseeing, and others are just a straight shot to your destination of San Diego (or Los Angeles).

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Complete Guide to Owning a Pet Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are charming and fascinating creatures that make unique and rewarding pets. The photos in this blog post are of Melon, my sister’s blonde African Pygmy Hedgehog. Whenever I visit her in Austin, I get to spend some quality time with this adorable little pincushion.

In this article, we will provide a complete guide to owning a pet hedgehog, including information on their breeds, lifespan, care, feeding, supplies needed and more. To be a responsible and knowledgeable pet owner, it’s important to learn all about what goes into owning your own pet hedgehog.

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Dog-Friendly Travel Guide to San Diego

San Diego is one of the most dog-friendly travel destinations in California with a wide selection of hotels and destinations that your pup can enjoy with you. The weather is usually very pleasant so spending the day outside is no biggie.

My husband and I used to live in the San Diego area with our Black Labrador Holly. We would bring her all over the city with us, so we've had plenty of personal experience with finding dog-friendly things to do and places to eat.

This blog post covers San Diego dog-friendly parks, beaches, walkable neighborhoods, restaurants and more.

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Over 50 Holiday Content Ideas for Blogmas

Calling all you content creators! In terms of blogging and social media, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year for several reasons. Increased engagement, increased sales and commissions - and it’s just so much fun to create this magical content. It certainly gives us all those nostalgic warm and fuzzy feelings.

Blogmas is a content creating challenge in which a blogger publishes a new blog post and social media posts every day leading up to Christmas in the month of December. That means 25 days holly jolly photography, recipes, holiday decor, winter travel and more.

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Over 35 Zero Waste and Eco-Friendly Period Products

Let’s the honest, as women our periods are a bit of a drag. And it adds insult to injury that they also wreck havoc on our environment because most period sanitary products on the market are not designed with eco-friendly materials.

The average woman will dispose of 11,000 sanitary items in a lifetime, most of which contain plastics and are not biodegradable. Many of these disposed products end up in landfills and our oceans.

The good news is there’s a growing market for both eco-friendly and zero waste period sanitary products. For all my frugal savvy gals, investing in these products will actually save you a lot of money in the long run. It takes an average of 3 period cycles for these products to pay for themselves.

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The Complete Guide to the Myers Cocktail IV Treatment

We often associate IV drips with sickness and hospital stays. You may not realize that IV drip bags have recently become a new wellness trend and IV bars have started opening up in wellness hot spots cities such as Los Angeles, New York City and London. Instead of going to a juice or smoothie bar, you can actually go to a IV bar to get boost of vitamins and hydration.

With the increasing interest in IV treatments, it is helpful to know more about the different options. IV treatments deliver vitamins and electrolytes straight into the bloodstream, which is ideal for those who may use them at a pace the body can’t keep up with or for those who have difficulty absorbing vitamins and minerals.

One of the most popular options is the Myers Cocktail. It gets its name from John Myers, M.D., who pioneered the use of intravenous vitamins and minerals to treat various medical conditions. Here’s all you need to know about the Myers Cocktail.

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California National Parks Checklist

The state of California is known for its natural beauty. The landscape varies greatly from region to region - from majestic mountains with dense forest floors to dry and vast deserts. The amount of outdoor recreation activities in California is enormous, and with the ever-changing seasons there’s new adventure to explore throughout the year.

California has nine national parks, which is the most of any one state (Alaska comes in second with eight national parks). Across the United States there’s a total of 62 national parks. The definition of a national park is land set aside by the federal government to protect it from development so that the general public can enjoy its natural beauty.

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Black and Herbal Teas Handmade By Artisans

Once the weather starts to get cold in the autumn season, I immediately I want to bundle up with a hot cup of tea in my hands. You really can’t get the full hygge experience without a warming hot beverage to sip and enjoy.

Artisan teas are especially wonderful on chilly days because you are enjoying both the aromas and the warmth in your mug, it’s truly a delight for the senses. These loose leaf teas are handcrafted by tea connoisseurs who carefully select the best herbs, flowers, dried fruits and more to create these highly complex tea blends.

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The Modern Gift Guide For All the Trendy Cool People in Your Life

I am a huge Etsy fanatic, both my home and closet are filled with handmade gems from artisans selling on Etsy. As a freelancer myself, it genuinely gives me joy to support a small business owner who is living the dream of being self-employed. Not only does the Etsy platform allow small businesses to thrive, but they also elevate and support artists who are pushing the limits in the design world and serving up fresh inspiration.

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How to Make Your Home Hygge for Christmas

Christmas truly is a special time of year, it’s as close to magic as we can get as adults. My idea of a hygge Christmas is making new memories at home and enjoying quality time with family. All the while indulging the senses with all the classic holiday joys.

The cold winter weather makes us naturally want to cuddle up and partake in nostalgic holiday rituals. All it takes is a little effort and preparation to really bring the season to life in the perfect hygge setting.

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Where to Buy Traditional Mexican Dresses Online

For Halloween we decided to choose a family costume that honored both my husband’s and daughter’s Mexican family heritage - Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Scout was baby Frida.

I was really excited about dressing up in traditional Mexican dresses because the garments are so bright and colorful. They feel so festive and really embody the carefree spirit of feminist hero Frida Kahlo.

In this blog post you’ll find the top places online to purchase authentic traditional Mexican dresses online. These websites purchase directly from the artisans and support those communities.

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Cashew Pesto Pizza Recipe with Over 15 Topping Ideas

In my own personal opinion, pesto pizza gives the traditional red-sauced pizza a run for its money. The savory and salty flavor of homemade pesto adds a new layer of seasoning, and it’s complimentary to so many different toppings. It’s very easy to customize your pesto pizza to create a crowd-pleasing culinary dish.

This cashew pesto pizza recipe is also incredibly versatile. You can alter the recipe to make it vegan, vegetarian, plant-based and even keto. Either way you decide to make this favorite food, it’s always a healthy yet still satisfying and filling.

Making your pesto with cashew nuts instead of the traditional pine nuts is a very easy swap, and the flavor is not terribly different. Both cashew and pine nuts have an abundance of healthy fats, which give your pesto a creamy texture and flavor. Cashews are also less expensive than pine nuts so you can save some cash too.

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Los Angeles Dog-Friendly Guide

Los Angeles is one of the most dog-friendly cities in California. Whether you’re brining your dog on vacation or a local pet owner, there’s plenty of places to explore with your pooch. We regularly travel all over California and we often bring our Black Labrador Holly along with us.

This guide covers the most popular areas and neighborhoods in Los Angles, pretty much the best places to spend your time. You’ll find over 75 dog-friendly parks, beaches, walking trails with city views, restaurants, breweries, outdoor shopping centers and much more.

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