Tag: Northern California

Harmony Is No Longer For Sale!

Last time I saw the small town of Harmony , CA (population 18), it was for sale.  I am not sure who bought it but now it is definitely a place for all to visit!   Harmony can easily be passed in a blink of an eye as you drive between Cambria and Cayucos on Highway 1.  Look for the signs and the word “pottery” and you won’t miss it.

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Harmony is a great spot to enjoy a scone and a true machinano.  The real kind that is served in a tiny cute cup. ( I felt so European.)  Even the owner had old world charm with his accent (Italian, perhaps?) and his friendly demeanor. My friend Yvonne swears the scones are homemade and the best she has ever tasted. (She is my official taster and reviewer of all things with gluten while she is staying with me.) We ate and drank in their cute little garden area.  Next to the garden is a pottery store, small chapel and exterior decor that reminds you that this town is steeped with history.  Down the street (literally a few yards) is a glass blowing studio and store.  I REALLY wanted to buy a number of pieces in this store but since I won’t be paid until the end of September, I held off. Besides, some of the pieces I wanted would eat up an entire paycheck for me!  Expensive, yes, but we are talking high quality glass blowing here.  I have been to a lot of  glass stores this summer and I will say that hands down, this glass blower creates the most beautiful work I have ever seen.  His eye for color and detail are truly amazing. So, expensive, yes, but justly so.

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Door

So you may wonder where do the population of 18 live in Harmony, I did to.  So, I drove my little  car, ignoring the dirt road ahead sign, and took the only small road I could find.  There were a few   houses, but not many. At the end of this road was a dog kennel and I wondered if the town of Harmony counted the dogs in their population because I could not figure out how they came up with a population of 18 with so few houses.  Anyway, like “bears to honey,” I found another barn to photograph and this made my day. It was like finding a secret treasure hidden away.

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Ode To The Rock

Each morning I’ve woken up in Cayucos, I have peaked out my bedroom window to see if I could see Morro Bay’s famous rock.  Here is today’s view:

Window Rock Watermark

Many go to Morro Bay to get a chance to “play” by Morro Rock.  You can enjoy surfing and beach activities on the ocean side of  Morro Rock or enjoy kayaking and paddle boarding on the bay side of Morro Rock.

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Rock3 Watermark

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As you can see from the pictures, I tend to stay away from shopping areas while traveling.  Not because I don’t like shopping, gosh no, I would never say that, but because more and more, I am seeing chains and tourist shops which seem to be selling the same things over and over. Boring!   Now Embarcadero, which runs right along the Morro Bay’s recreational and fishing port is an interesting place to visit. (Great people watching)  Yes, it has tons of tourist type shops, but if you can get past those you will find the real gem, Suite 1.  Bill and Tracy greet you like you are old friends and treat you like gold.   I loved the variety of unique creative items you can buy there.  What will stand out the most is BIll’s photography.  He is a truly gifted photographer, has a great eye and sense of humor as well.   Kind and helpful are two more adjectives to describe Bill.  He gave me so many tips and helped me with my ailing lens. I wish I lived here so I could learn more from him.  I can’t wait to attend his Business for Artists class in the Fall!  So, if you are in Morro Bay, go by Suite 1 and tell Tracy and Bill, “Hi!” from me.

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Impressions of Avila Beach

My name is Celia Argabright, I write, I travel and I am hungry for more…  Sound familiar?  I don’t know why but I keep having the Anthony Bourdain intro. repeating in my mind this morning.  The only difference (besides funds for traveling) is that he explores the art of cuisine and I search for inspiring subjects to capture in photographs and paintings.  What do we have in common?  In each of our own ways, we strive to connect to the places we explore and share our experiences.

Avila Stores web

Each year my sister, Dana, and her family and friends escape to Avila Beach, California.  This week was my lucky week because my sister Dana is staying with me at the beach house I rented in Cayucos, CA.  I was eager to see one of her favorite family vacation spots so we set off on an excursion to Avila Beach.

We packed our beach essentials: water, towels, beach chairs, our scrabble game and we were off!  It was an easy drive from Highway 1 to Highway 101 and then off to Avila Beach.

The first thing I noticed was that there was plenty of cute places to rent while staying here. The main street lines the upper section of the beach like a beach boardwalk of sorts. It is full of shops, restaurants, and goodies galore.

Dana and I headed straight for the beach, found the perfect spot and set-up the Scrabble game. Yes, confession time is in order, there is no denying that we are Scrabble nerds.  However, while cute kids were playing in the sand around us, I did overhear a woman say that she and her friend had just been playing scrabble on the beach as well as she passed us.  Confirmation that we are not so nerdy after all perhaps? (My sister Cathy, who “does not do games,”  is probably shaking her head at me right now.)

After a glorious afternoon of being completely demolished in 2 games of Scrabble by my sister, I realized that this fair skinned gal forgot the sunscreen as part of her essentials. It was time to move on but we did not need to go far. We went to  Custom House and enjoyed sharing a huge plate of nachos. Yum! I enjoyed a nice refreshing diet coke with lemon while my sister enjoyed what she calls her “Happy Mama” drink.  It is made with blueberry Stoli, Sprite, orange juice and a splash of grenadine.  Both perfect seaside drinks depending on your preference.

We ended the day trip by walking the beautiful Avila Pier observing true happiness in everyone’s faces as they enjoyed the seaside.

Avila Pier web

Today’s photo’s are my  impressions of Avila Beach.  Yes, I am still taking the pictures but I sometimes I feel a painting conveys more emotional feelings and/or connections.  I have a strong emotional connection to all beaches.  It is what they represent to me: family, friends, good times.  When I arrive at a beach, I am flooded with childhood memories of playing in the sand and water with cousins, siblings and friends. I could go on and on about the memories of building sandcastles, body surfing in the waves, collecting shells in the early hours of the morning and bonfires on the beach at night.   A beach equals freedom and relaxation; the perfect vacation in my book.

So today, I am presenting some pictures I took, manipulated with photoshop and later will be printing and painting on. For those of you new to my Travel/Art blog, I am currently experimenting with combining all my artistic hobbies (technology, photography, acrylic painting, watercolor pencils, and ink drawings-can you tell I am ADD?). My hope is that you will feel the same emotional connection to the beach  I have as you view these pictures.

Faily Beach web

Love at Avila web

Busy Beach web

Perhaps, these will inspire you to gather your family and friends and make your own wonderful memories at the beach as well. I hope you will!  Avila Beach would be a perfect place to make those memories happen.

If you enjoy reading about places people travel to, after 7:00 pm on the 25th, check-out: Screen Shot 2013-07-24 at 5.11.54 PM

Beach Retreat

You may have noticed that I disappeared for a few days from my blog. Not because the travels do not continue but this traveler’s home base is currently in Cayucos, California. It is a small beach town nestled between Morro Bay and Cambria along Highway 1. I don’t know why, nor wish to understand, but when I arrived at the beach and breathed deeply the ocean air, I fell into a meditative state with no wish to return.

I’ve rented a home for 3 weeks, which is a long stay for this summer traveler. The photo opportunities abound here. I can take pictures of all my favorite places, from the farms to the beaches.

* Click on photo’s to view larger versions.

I’ve known this coastline for most of my life but each time I come the new is intertwining with the familiar beaches and older homes and businesses. My great Aunt Dot and Uncle Bob owned a home in Cambria long ago. My fond memories include everything from Hearst Castle, beach combing, yummy olallieberry pie, and Uncle Bob patiently driving my mom, my sisters and I to each antique store and then greeting us with pastries between shops. Good memories…

Lying in bed my first night, I listened to the crashing of the waves, barking sea lions in the distance along with the soft ringing of a wind chime next door. I cannot think of a better way to fall asleep.

My favorite thing to do on the beach as a little girl was to wake up early and collect shells. Each shell is a little treasure. (Perhaps this explains my love for garage sales as well. I used to tell my son when he was little, that we were hunting for treasures.) Along the Morro, Bay Beach is a lovely section I call “Sand Dollar Beach.”  Each morning the beach has sand dollars scattered everywhere. Knowing these are such a wonderful little treasure, I have been collecting one for each of my third-grade students for when school starts in the Fall. Each one of my students is a little treasure just like these sand dollars. I want them to know this as they start the new school year.

Speaking of students, they are the reason I decided to rent a beach house for three weeks. My after school art students have requested that I create a website and sell my art. They wonder why I am not already selling my art. I do not want to tell them that my self-confidence in my art is low and fear holds me back. I would never want them to feel fear in expressing themselves and showing the world their creations. I am constantly repeating to them that their art is unique and that they should not hesitate to be proud to show everyone their art. There are “no mistakes in art,” “we each have our own unique style,” etc…

Realizing I am all talk and no action, I have decided it is time to get over my fear and think of my art journey really like an opportunity to share what I have seen during my travels and share my impressions of those moments I have captured in time. I have set-up my art table overlooking the ocean and am now spending time combining my love of photography, painting, and sketching with colored watercolor pencils. My hope is to create a website for others to enjoy, but most importantly, to be a role model to my students to not fear to put your art out there.

Here is a piece I am going to continue to work on today:

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A big thanks to Mary Ann Pickett for mentioning my blog on her blog!  Mary Anne is a very talented interior designer who is fun to know and work with! Read her latest blog about how she helped my sister decorate her home at      http://www.classiccasualhome.com

A bit of purple anyone?

IMG_2873I love it when friends share a place that is a must to visit. Mt. Shasta Lavender Farm is one of those must-sees.  I have to admit, I really admire the owners who saw a piece of rocky land and envisioned a beautiful lavender farm with spectacular views.

After visiting the Lavender Farm, I entered this Valley in Yreka. Nestled between the mountainsides were lovely farms and, of course, my favorite, beautiful old barns.