Saturday, October 13, 2012

alegria




















 beautiful

faces














alegria (a*le*gri*a) joy, a light spirit

in the village of mendocino, at an enchanting refuge by the sea, we stayed our first two nights
in alegria, ocean front inn and cottages. tucked between the 'tree house' and 'garden', 'driftwood', our cottage, was the perfect place to nest for romantic days and nights. with a loft bed, wood burning fireplace and hot tub (cozy robes included!) we wanted to move in. the dining room is in the main house, with stunning views of the rugged coast. steps away is a private path to the beach. alegria was the perfect getaway and we can't wait to return. we noticed someone else felt the same...each cottage has a hand painted sign above the entry, but driftwoods was missing. i understand the desire to take home a piece of this magical place. for more information about alegria ~ ocean front inn and cottages go here. thank you alegria for the incredible experiance, we loved our time here!

we've been visiting friends. craig is the owner of kayak mendocino. craig and chuck met for photos of kayaking and standup paddling. we all met at the farmers market (sweet pea bouquet a gift from chuck!) and in the evening, dinner at their home in the redwoods. to learn more about kayaking off the medocino coast (which is spectacular) contact craig at kayak medocino here.

really good news! mendocino has a yarn shop. (hee hee) a beautiful yarn shop. chuck met me there, chose wool for a new hat (it took him less than three minutes) while one hour later i was still making decisions. all the wonderful choices! a lovely handpainted silk merino ended up coming home with me. and a 'happy knitting' project bag. those are always nice to have i think. for more information about mendocinos charming (and excellent) yarn shop, go here.

and the eighty year old woman pictured in this post? alegria. not her name, but i like to think it was, with her joyful light and spirit, the spirit of mendocino. tomorrow we're staying at a new (to us) bed and breakfast in the village, thank you so much for all the lovely anniversary wishes.
xxx lori

25 comments:

  1. a beautiful place, indeed!!!
    Thank you for sharing, xxx Ale

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  2. Hi Lori! I'm happy for you to find and experience so beautiful places! That cottage looks perfect for romantic and relaxing weekend! And always you manage to find a yarn shop! My hb would have also chosen something in three minutes and I would have spent half day, still wondering should I have taken something else (too). x Teje

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  3. Oh my Lori, I think I may have said this before, but you get to visit the best places ever!! I love the little cabin you stayed in, so snuggly and romantic.
    And that yarn shop!! I'm going to be 'california dreaming' for the rest of the day.

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  4. What an absolutely beautiful place. I am soooo envious. I want to go. Have a wonderful anniversary.

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  5. Ida and I has just read your last post and are so excited, we were also in that yarnshop, and Ida spent o lot of time choosing yarn, while Uffe, Nanna and I walked around and find o cosy shop in an old church. I really want to visit Alegria next time we are going to CAlifornia.

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  6. I enjoy visiting your blog - the photos, the stories just everything is interesting. The yarn shop looks marvelous - I would like to shop there - but it is quite a long way from Germany to Mendocino...

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  7. Thanks again for another glimpse into an absolutely charming and enchanting place...loved seeing it and almost felt like I was there! Thanks for brightening up a rainy morning in Maine!

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  8. This is so beautiful - I've never been up there. and that little cottage - I can hear it calling to me! and oh...yarn yarn yarn, I bet you got beautiful stuff.

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  9. Your trip, thus far, sounds so very perfect for you both. Wishing you the very best!

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  10. What a wonderful trip and the village of Alegria is so charming. I love that yarn shop and would have just plopped myself down in one of those chairs and cozied up to knit and chat about the day. Happy Anniversary Loriann & Chuck.

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  11. I love that first little place. I looks like such a sweet little place to stay. It is like a grown up tent. All the pictures you should looks like places I would love to visit.

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  12. beautiful lori! and i love that you always get yarn on your trips. i like to do that too when i can. love that little baby in the knit sweater and the awesome backpack.

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  13. That cottage with the cozy slanted walls looks like a perfect place to snuggle in. Happy Anniversary!

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  14. What a beautiful place. So cozy!

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  15. I loved seeing our ocean, only a bit more south. Lovely coast lines, cliffs-by-the-sea. The yarn shop looks so amazing. Goodness! So many choices. I've only been to Carmel and Monterey, that's as far south as I've been. California intrigues me - so much landscape diversity.

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  16. Looks like a perfect setting to celebrate your anniversary Lori. Spectacular photos as usual -- you really spoil us! Enjoy the rest of your adventure. Lyn

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  17. It's all so lovely (and may we all be so beautiful and joyful at 80!)

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  18. Lori, best anniversary wishes to you, and many thanks for letting us see some of the gorgeous scenery and cosy places you've been visiting.

    Yes, I would also want to move into that cottage!

    I applaud your handling those million and one steps leading to and from the lighthouse. Bravo!

    xo

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  19. Where ever I travel if there is a yarn shop I am in it! My husband always waits patiently while I look about, you see there are way more music stores than yarn stores in our travels and it's usually me that is waiting patiently :D

    I hope I live to 80+ years old with a skip in my step!

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  20. Ohhhh, happiest of anniversaries! You and Chuck are in utter bliss. May you carry that love and happiness with you everywhere.

    xoxoxo

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  21. Happy, Happy Anniversary, Lori!
    What a lovely place to stay AND they have a yarn store! Life doesn't get much better than that, does it??
    I hope that you and Chuck have many, many more lovely anniversaries!
    Hugs,

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  22. S-I-G-H.

    Such beauty! I have always wanted to get up there when I lived in pacific grove but I never did.

    I love living vicariously through your eyes.

    Thank you :)

    And YAY for your sweet getaway!

    xo
    Lo

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  23. We once lived in a house with our "bedroom" just like that - until I got pregnant with Kaya and too scared to scramble up and down the ladder at night! :)

    What a beautiful place.
    Happy anniversary!

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xoxo lori