a day in crystal cove

Yesterday was such a fun day. I picked up my friend Nancy first thing in the morning to spend the day with her for her birthday, and we headed down to Crystal Cove for a little lunch and shopping. 

Here’s the front of her house where the aloes are starting to bloom. Orange aloe flowers are so pretty during the winter months here in So Cal, when everything else in the garden is taking some time off. 

Our first stop was Ruby’s Shake Shack at Crystal Cove. We stopped there for a coffee and a date shake and headed down the stairs to the beach to check out the beautiful tree that’s displayed on the sand in the historic district, next to all the old cottages. 

We missed the annual tree lighting there this past Saturday night, but we wanted to catch a glimpse of the tree, especially  since it was such a gorgeous day!  

If you haven’t been to the historic part of Crystal Cove, it should be on your top ten list of places to visit in Southern California. The movie “Beaches” was filmed here years ago, and you can always recognize its iconic turquoise cottage in photos.

They do a really nice job of decorating for the holidays. Just a few holiday lights, the tree and some decorations. It's not over the top, and perfect for taking a selfie or family photo.   

Next we headed to Babette’s for lunch. They have really good healthy food and a beautiful outdoor courtyard with a fire pit, blankets and beautiful tables. I love this quote the have at their reception desk, "you must be the change you wish to see in the world." 

We popped into The Sweet & Saucy Shop to admire their pretty holiday baked goods and munched on a mini cupcake for dessert! Aren’t these french macarons adorable? 

When in Crystal Cove, it’s a MUST to stop by Juxtaposition Home. The styling in that store is always inspiring and fresh, but with a definite vintage vibe. I love how these baskets are displayed on the wall! We picked up a few Christmas gifts there as well as at Banana Republic and Williams-Sonoma.

Here’s another view of the historic district, from above, at the Shake Shack taken by Nancy. And, from the beach, looking down the coast towards Laguna Beach.  

ciao! fabiana