Some of you may know I recently went home to visit my family. I didn’t get to stay for too long – part of Thursday and flew out early morning Tuesday, but I definitely made the most of my time there! Besides seeing all of my family (there are 14 of us, not including Grammy and my Aunt Cheryl), I also have to make sure I spend time with some of my friends and do some of my favorite things while I am there. Because, my home is so important to me, I thought I would share some of my absolute requirements when I go home besides seeing family and friends which is priority number one!
1. I must must must have The Habit. Everyone is pretty attached to Inn-n-Out when they come to CA, but I would take Habit over Inn-n-Out anyway. I think the burger is fresh, I love the fries, and it is just my favorite. You all will definitely have to try it next time you are out there and see what you think!
2. I have to go at least 2 (if not more), of my favorite coffee shops. These include Simones, Prospect Roasters, Palermos, Stir, Beacon, and,,,,
3. Hiking is pertinent to a true Ventura trip. With the recent fires that tore through my hometown, our local hiking spots have been pretty destroyed. After seeing some pictures on social media, I opted to not go to either of my favorite local spots (Arroyo Verde Park and the Botanical Gardens) this trip. To be honest, I couldn’t quite fathom handling that emotion on top of the hecticness of my trip. However, there is plenty more hiking in surrounding areas to be enjoyed.
4. Put my toes in the sand. Nothing beats a California sunset and I LOVE going to the beach for a walk or run.
5. Shopping! My favorite mall is back home and it is a must while I am there. I always find good stuff (although that never seems to be a problem haha). If I have some extra time, I also love checking out the outlets in Camarillo. They are one of the biggest in the US!
6. Family meal. This is one of my ultimate favorites and something I really miss with living away from my family. My family just tends to congregate randomly around meal times on the weekends, and you never really know who will be there for dinner or lunch. I absolutely love this and it probably contributes to a lot of why we are all so close. When I come home, my mom tends to plans these so I can see everyone and have one of my favorite home cooked meals. Let’s just say with almost 20 people in one house, these aren’t the most quietest, but they sure are fun!
7. Spa going! Now, I definitely don’t always get to enjoy this when I am home, but is one of my most favorite things to do haha. I love the Four Seasons in Westlake and the Spa at Ojai Valley Inn. Both are so different, yet so magical haha.
Well there you have it! My favorite things to do when I am home. Now you know why I am so busy haha!
xoxo,
Melissa
