A couple weekends ago, we got to escape the Seattle deluge and hop a plane to California to celebrate the Gwinn-Johansen wedding. It was a dream. For one thing, California has the whole sun, sea and dramatic bluffs thing down quite well – but really, it is just breathtaking. For another, weddings that are outside and feature s’mores, rolling hills, dancing, and best buds are very much the bomb. Home base was Monterey with our favorite Kyles for the weekend – Markus got to nerd out in Steinbeck country, and we all reveled in an abundance of fresh ocean air, brunch time, and tacos. We made a quick stop at the Carmel Mission (San Carlos Borromeo), and trekked around Point Lobos to take in some central California coast views (and about a thousand photos). The wedding was a beautiful two hour drive down to San Luis Obispo through the Salinas Valley – Markus kept asking if he could be let out to join the farm workers a la The Grapes of Wrath. (No.)

It was such a joy to get to be there to ring in this new chapter for Karianne and Mike – these two are gracious and warm and full of spunk and are going to do amazing things together.

And thanks be. We got back to Seattle just in time for Spring.