Spring! Break!

March was nuts. Complete and total insanity. Before I could hop a plane with J to spend a glorious spring break week in California, I had about 15,000 things to do... and one of them was fail that French test I whined cried complained wrote (and probably told most of you) about. But! Despite my heartbreak, I discovered that I could take a class online this summer to fulfill the requirement. So. Stay tuned for that little nugget.

After I'd slogged through an entire day's worth of mid-term finals, epic Victorian poetry and probably, like, 3 bottles of San Pellegrino (read: my LIFE FORCE), I was finally free for break. Less than three weeks after school started again from the Snowpocalypse in February. I wish I had a break every couple of weeks. I'd never leave this joint.

I think the pair of us were expecting a sunny & warm California trip, but what we got was a torrential downpour on the way in, rain for the first couple of days and not a degree above 65. Didn't matter. I love beaches and anything that doesn't involve reading about the British empire. And! I got to wear my favorite thing in the world every.single.day we were there -- my trench coat. Take my eyes but not the coat!

Of course, no trip is complete without a thorough sampling of the beer! J and I stopped in at a little bar in Oceanside, one that topped the list of 'must-try places' by my cousin and her husband. They are the greatest hosts in the world -- they let us stay with them for the week and gave us the (best) run-down on where to hang out in southern California. I got to spend a huge portion of the trip with my cousin's sons, M & T, the sweetest little guys I've ever met. J and I spent the last day at M's school, where they were putting on a cultural fest about Poland and where M was chosen to learn and lead a Polish dance in front of his class. It was adorable!

This beach was fantastic -- Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. We spent the morning there, scarfed blueberry pancakes at the cafe in town, beach combed and then headed up the coast in the little Yaris we rented (which will forever remain a huge joke between J and I, that car blew and couldn't function in the rain). Seeing as we had only planned the trip around eating, J and I ate our way up the coast, stopping at Oceanside, Pacific Beach and Dana Point. We had the most amazing fish tacos after our hike at Torrey Pines and wonderful salmon and swordfish on our last night on a mini-date with my cousin and her husband.

It was the best way to remember end my March, I'll tell you what.