Coast – Francois et Moi

Big Sur Travel Guide: Eat + Stay + Do

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 20:55:43 +0000

Big Sur, California is a place like no other, and I’d highly recommend spending a few nights in the area if you’re making the PCH roadtrip or just need a getaway. It’s a small, welcoming community sprinkled along Highway 1 with a good mix of fine dining, spas, sweeping ocean views, and rustic outdoor activities. Here are Ken and my recommendations for where to stay and eat, and what to do while in Big Sur! Where to Stay: Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn For me, the joy of travel is immersing myself in the culture and joie de vivre of that particular place. So after discovering Deetjen’s Inn, which really seems to personify the relaxed, rustic vibe that is Big Sur with their historically sacred, storied cabins, thoughtfully furnished with antiques, and tucked beneath the giant redwoods, I knew this was our kind of place.The Inn was started by a Norwegian couple in the 1930’s as a waystop for weary travelers, and 85 years later their legacy still lives on. In a way, I felt a little like I was at summer camp, as there are no locks on the cabin doors and no TV’s–it’s really a place to unwind, decompress, and connect with the natural […]

The post Big Sur Travel Guide: Eat + Stay + Do appeared first on Francois et Moi.

With Love from Tampa

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 13:48:26 +0000

Over New Years Ken and I traded in our Minnesota long underwears for a little Floridian sun down in Tampa. Why, you might ask? Well you see, my older and only sister, Sarah, recently relocated there for a post doc position at The University of South Florida, so naturally we couldn’t wait to visit! We began the trip on Anna Maria Island, a small island just southwest of Tampa, that offers up a rare view into “old Florida.” No high rise chains here, just mom and pop establishments with quaint pastel painted facades. We spent our time combing the beach for seashells, indulging in the catch-of-the-day, reminiscing about our childhood and sharing goals for the future (cheesy, but true). I had my big daddy camera with me as we explored the island, so check back tomorrow for more on our island discovery. Then we headed back to Tampa to explore the Bay Area (in lazy, vacationer fashion of course). Sarah showed us around her neighborhood, Hyde Park, and brought us to her favorite local restaurants. We slept late, ate brunch at noon, moseyed the neighborhood ogling the storied historic homes, and browsed thrift shops for treasures. The blue and white […]

The post With Love from Tampa appeared first on Francois et Moi.