Day Fifteen - Monterey Bay Aquarium and Happy Girls (in a variety of ways)

If there is one word that could describe our time in Santa Cruz, it would be comfortable. Under the loving tutelage of Lucie and Matt, we moved to and fro, up-down-around-through mountains; we listened to some fantastic vinyl - I could not have felt prouder when, before dinner one evening, Evelyn pulled this record out to put on next, "All by [her]self."

If there is one picture that describes our time in Santa Cruz, it would be:

I sat beneath Coast Redwoods, reading and watching Meyer lemons grow, feeling grateful for all in my life and attendant to the present. I resolved to better appreciate the wonder in everything, to seek beauty in my environs, not romanticize things afar.

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Well rested for our first full day in Santa Cruz, we layered up - given the dramatic temperature fluctuations between our mountainous home and destinations - and Lucie delivered us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I cannot recall another time when Evelyn seemed so excited. She ran from display-to-display, squeezing her way to the front and yelling, "Mommy, yook at this fish. It's a wainbow fish. Wow"; confidently identifying manta rays (thanks Octonauts) and seals; entranced by the fluid, peaceful jellyfish. Her joy and wonder was so powerful that one of our first post-vacation activities was a trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore - and, happily, her spirit was not a bit diminished.

After this adventure, we dined at Happy Girl Kitchen: the model for the restaurant/cafe/business that would be a dream to pursue. On-premises canning of pickled items, jams and marmalades, shrubs, and more; from-scratch everything, including their crunchy array of breads; and vegetarian/vegan meals that anyone with tastebuds will enjoy.