I’ve been on a week long vacation with the family and dear friends in Cambria.  I’m having a difficult time accepting that my week of leisure by the sea is coming to an end.  It’s the last night that the rhythmic sound of the crashing waves will lull me to sleep.  The house we rented is lovely–lots of room for everyone, but my favorite part of the house is the little master bedroom upstairs.  The bed faces the large window.  The large window faces the ocean.  It is nothing short of perfection.

The master bedroom deck.

The view from the bedroom deck.

It’s dark now as I’m typing this, but I’m listening to the waves. . . it’s a beautiful thing.

Well, now I’m just showing off . . . but this is the sunset from our little deck.

Breathtaking sunset in Cambria, CA.

Yesterday, we went to breakfast in the quaint little town of Cambria.  There isn’t much to the little town–just a few blocks of cute boutiques, coffee houses, restaurants, and antique shops.

Have I told you I love antiques?  More specifically, I love old kitchen items.  Pots, pans, bowls, spice racks, utensils–I love it all.  I enjoy combing through antique stores and thrift shops looking for treasure. “Junking,” as my husband calls it.  His mother collected antiques (her house is full of them!) and when he was young, she dragged him to the antique shops while she picked through the “junk” looking for treasure.  I call it “treasure” because it truly feels like a treasure hunt when you find something special.  A few weeks ago I was strolling through the Goodwill in our neighborhood and I happened to find a Fostoria American Pitcher in perfect condition!  It was only $4.99!!!

Poppin’ Tags! Fostoria American Pitcher

I almost squealed with delight when I found it.  I could hardly contain my excitement when I took it to the cash register to pay for it.  I even felt a little guilty.  $4.99?  Really?  This pitcher goes for $59-79 in an antique store.  Yippee!

Well, yesterday I found the most beautiful yellow ware bowl.  It was in great condition and a good price.  I hadn’t bought myself a souvenir or any kind of little trinket to remember Cambria, so I decided to buy the bowl.  It is my Cambria treasure!  It isn’t marked on the bottom, so I don’t know the maker, but I don’t care.  It’s got pretty blue and pink stripes and a nice “pie crust” lip.  Take a look!  I can’t wait to use it in a photo for the blog, maybe loaded with old fashioned potato salad.

Yellow ware bowl

I read another food blogger’s post a while back about how she was going out shopping for props for her food photography.  I thought it a little odd.  I don’t know.  I’d rather make the food and then find something (a treasure, I hope) that it looks good in or on.  Not a prop.  It’s more meaningful to plate and serve my Dad’s recipe for meatloaf on one of the platters from my childhood.  I don’t know, maybe I’m over thinking it.  Whatever.  I love my kitchen treasures and that’s the stuff you’ll see in photos on my blog.

My husband . . . that’s a different story.  He sees a bowl and it’s just bowl.  So I wasn’t surprised to see him sitting in front of the television yesterday a short while after I got back from my shopping trip watching the Angels’ game and eating Doritos from my yellow ware treasure.

Maybe I’ll share some of the other treasures I found in another post.  I love picking up rocks and shells on the beach.  Check this one out.  I think it has the face of a sea lion on it,  like the one we saw on the rocks in front of the house the day we arrived.  I see it . . . do you?