48 Hours in Aptos

When driving from the Peninsula, right after the Monterey exit, take the left to the beaches and get yourself a cup of coffee and some delicious pastries at the Buttery, on Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz. We enjoyed a slice of tiramisu, an apricot pastry, coconut macaroons and drip coffee, on a chilled winter afternoon with bright sunshine stealing the moments from an unrelenting rain storm. Me, and my companions enjoyed sugar, butter, flour and some coffee, not to forget the sunshine at The Buttery. Side note, it has ample outdoor space, that is perfect for social distancing.

Post our break, we drove to the Seascape Beach Resort in Aptos. We frequent this property a lot, and it has become our pandemic favorite for a day spend at the beach, or just a quick getaway. You can get good rates if you book in advance.

A nice evening stroll around the property, with panoramic views of the Monterey bay, and we had built an appetite for a light diner.

Cafe Sparrow, in historic Aptos Village was our find for the evening. A delightful little French cafe with steep prices, excellent service and delicious food. We enjoyed Lamb Chops, Smoked chicken fettuccine pasta, bread pudding, crème brûlée and some great Cabernet and Pinot with our meal. This place gets busy, so come early around 5-5:30pm and enjoy a relaxing meal.

All we needed was a peaceful night of sleep with no chores to do in the morning. I think I just sleep better knowing that.

Next morning started with two rounds of sub standard drip coffee in the room, and we were off for our gourmet adventure to Carmel. Basil Seasonal Italian has become our favorite there. You can always (famous last words) find a reservation and they have gluten free pasta and a delicious menu to binge on. Not to forget the brioche bread pudding that is to die for.

Our next adventure was Point Lobos. Now this place has become a favorite with our little family as well. It is dawning on me that we were off to the coast checking off our favorites list.

Pt Lobos has plenty of trails to get lost on, while walking along cliffs that are hugging the ocean tight. The weather was kind, and it didn’t rain. The trails were muddy but so what! We criss crossed across North Shore Trail, Pine Ridge, and Granite Trail. A total of 3 miles and 1.5 hours of adventure. Just enough for the tiny feet to get some action, and yet not whine as much.

Breathing the forest air feels magical. And the spirit of finding our way, feels so inspiring. We are fortunate to have so many options around where we live.

On our way back to Aptos, we stopped by at The Hideout for Cucumber Mule, Spicy Hibiscus Margarita, and fried chicken sandwich. Pretty cool place, good service, and cool vibes. The little one was not so impressed by their creme brûlée. She has fine taste, ahem like the mother.

On our last day at the resort, we chillaxed in the morning and did some coloring, reading, and planning. And then we headed to Henry Cowell State Park for a short walk amongst the mighty redwoods. The rain did not support our plans and so we re routed back to Hwy 17 that was extremely foggy and scenic.

On our way back home we stopped by Desi, in Campbell for a quick desi bite. It was umm..disappointing. The flavors weren’t balanced. Between the lack of freshness in the ingredients, and the shallow flavors, the meal failed to deliver. We ordered the Delhi Belly which is a combination of kalmi kebab, tandoori chicken and galouti kebab. I’d give 3/5 to the galouti kebab. Which is as good (or bad) as I rate the ones I make at home. I honestly think this place has potential and some good ideas. They need a flavor and ingredient refresh and they can be a hot spot in town. That’s just my 2 cents anyways. And I have several 2 cents in my pockets 😇

And that’s how spent our 48 hours by the coast. Lots of together time, walks, ocean, some rain, and lots of yummy food (except for the last bit at Desi)