Adventures in Monterey: Sea Kayaking

Have you ever been sea kayaking? If you haven't, I highly recommend it.

Last weekend, Aaron, my parents and I, took advantage of a two-for-one Groupon for sea kayaking in Monterey through the fabulous folks at Adventures By The Sea. Having rented equipment through the company before, I knew we were getting a fabulous deal. And it could not have been a more gorgeous day!

Both Aaron and I, and my mom and dad, decided to ride tandem in a two-person boat, or "divorce boat" as one staff person called them. It was awesome for me -- having both of us in a boat enabled me to take photos while on the water. It was pretty awesome. Check it out!

Dolphins! OMG. Dolphins! 

Underwater algae action. 

My hubby, and behind him, my dad and momma. 

Parents

Gross Sea weed, kelp, stuff.
There may be a sea otter in there, too. 

The Monterey Bay Aquarium

A bird! 

Jelly Fish. Underwater Jelly Fish. 

Stinky Sea Lions. 

Still stinky sea lions, and their bird friends. 

Another Jelly!

Hanging out in the Marina. 

There's the Sea Otter! 

Adventures in Getting Married: The Perry House

Aaron and I were truly lucky to have found and booked The Perry House.

The venue is fantastic with breathtaking views of the Monterey harbor and historic charm. The old historic building has been remodeled and refurbished to perfectly blend modern amenities with the classic style of the home. The grounds alone are fabulous -- you add a little wedding flair and it's borderline magical.

Classic Catering, a division of Events by Classic who also owns the Perry House, served our food as a part of our wedding event package. I must tell you that I have never been served such a delicious wedding meal (and no I am not just saying that because it was my wedding!) Seriously, I would love to get my hands on a few of those recipes! Many of our wedding guests are still talking about how delectable each dish was -- and they absolutely loved the 'Roaming Reception' plan that was suggested by the staff that 

allowed for guests to walk around, talking to anyone and everyone, while each guest was able to enjoy his meal at his own leisure. 

I seriously could go on and on about all of the things that I think are fabulous about the Perry House and its staff.... but since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are a several more photos, compliments of photographer-extraordinaire Erik Miguel. 

Adventures in Getting' Married: Flower Power

On September 3, 2011 I was able to have the wedding of my dreams. My dream was fulfilled, in part, because of the work of Melody King of Fleurish Floral Design.

I was one of those brides that was going to use DIY flowers to try and save money. On a whim, I called Melody at Fleurish just to get a quote, and it was one of the best wedding decisions I made! Melody's arrangements were not only budget-friendly, but they are absolutely beautiful. She is extremely friendly and very professional. She has wonderfully innovative ideas. Melody not only helped to make my flower dreams come true, but also provided creative ideas to go above and beyond anything I could have imagined. The flowers were beautiful on my wedding day -- and my mom enjoyed their beauty for a week following!

Our photographer, Erik Miguel,was able to take some remarkable photos of the flowers at the wedding.