Idyllwild: Day One

I'll try to keep this brief, 'cause bedtime is calling my name. I've been going going going since...well... since yesterday. But it feels like DAYS. We've had a couple super busy weekends + a busy Fourth of July. All fun stuff, but going going going isn't my style, and I haven't been sleeping well lately. (The heat? The neighborhood mockingbird waking us at 5am? I don't know.) So now that we're settled into family vacation mode, hopefully we'll get some rest. Ha! Rest on vacation? With littles?

Anyhoo... Last-minute as always, we decided to book two nights in Idyllwild. We had only been once before, for my birthday, when I was prego with Ada--we rang in the new year of 2014. I loved the B&B where we stayed: the front room was basically a library, and the breakfast was delicious. Also, our room was decked out as a vintage sea captain's quarters. Maybe I'm over-glamorizing it, but I will say it inspired the decor for our master bedroom. I remember feeling like there wasn't a ton to do in Idyllwild and that I didn't really need to go back. But recently I had been bugging Cliff to do a mini-vacay, and then we saw how FREAKING CUTE this airbnb was (when I say "we", I mean me):

So, fast-forward to today.

We packed in a flurry, picked up Ada from preschool, and drove out to Idyllwild. The first and last 30 minutes were rough, because kids. But they did sleep for most of the drive. Then it was are-we-there-yet-can-I-have-a-snack-no-not-that-snack.

Geez, this is getting too long already, so I'm going to whip out the bullets:

• We went to the library so the kids could stretch their legs. The library had a ton of activities for the kids (maybe to make up for their kind of sad number of books?). It took FOREVER to check out the books, and the small-town librarians explained evvvvery little detail and upcoming event even though I told them we were only in town for two days. Bless their hearts. 
  
• Checked into our adorbs vintage 1970s plaid-carpeted chalet (maybe it's not a chalet, but I'm just going to call it that). It's amazing how many details have gone into this place to preserve/reproduce its original charm. Right down to a stash of afghans in the closet!
  
  
  
  

Master

Kids' room

Kitschy kitchen

• Walked back into town--it's about a ten-minute walk and not double stroller-friendly at all, but luckily the road isn't TOO busy.
• Had dinner at the Idyllwild Brewpub. I wasn't expecting much--sometimes in small towns, the Yelp ratings seem to be a bit inflated because, well, there aren't many options. But the food was pretty solid. The beer was hit and miss.

  

  The kids managed to cry over french fries and various other ridiculous things

• Strolled around the town as it was rapidly shutting down for the night. The chocolate shop, El Buen Cacao, was dark, but I peeked in the window with Ada. The shop owner, whom I hadn't even seen in there, came and unlocked the door to let us in. Whoop whoop! We all picked out truffles, and almost out of nowhere, the owner's wife and daughter appeared. The little girl just happened to be almost exactly the same age as Ada. We ate our chocolate as the girls played in the courtyard outside the shop. It was a nice little magical ending to the day, and we headed back for kids' bedtime.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Playing with their new instant friend

• The treeeeees! The smell of them, the look of them. It's just what I've needed.
  
• There are three rooms, and tons of beds, but Ada wanted to share a room with Ryan. She opted for the top bunk (kiiiind of proud of her, 'cause I thought she'd be too scared). She proceeded to talk his ear off and come out of the room with various "needs" about three times before finally settling down for the night. Ryan seems gigantic in the pack-n-play.
• It got super toasty in some of the rooms (there's no AC), but it's finally cooling down. Goodnight!