(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

This past weekend we drove down to Santa Barbara for Hyundai’s Epic Playdate event. It was a fun play ‘day’ for a bunch of families from my ad network and a few others that won trips to go. I was in charge of one of the days events, group sand art, and there were other bloggers that were organizing events too throughout the day. Oh Happy Day made giant bubbles, Oh Joy made an ice cream bar, Dooce taught a kid photography class, Mighty Girl organized a giant paint fight, etc.

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

I was really impressed with how well thought out everything was. There was tons of food (I accidentally ate two lunches because the ‘pre lunch snack’ was so substantial I thought it was lunch!), lots for the kids to do and plenty of fun activities everyone could be involved in either doing or just watching. There was even an epic nap tent which had beds and cribs and books for ones that needed some quiet time. Henry and I both needed a little time in there in the afternoon to re-fuel for the evening. The idea of ‘family friendly’ doesn’t always work for kids and parents both but they managed to truly find a happy medium where everyone was having a great time.

After the day event, the families and others that helped organize it moved over to the beach where we played on the beach, ate dinner, sang songs around the fire, and then stayed over night in the coolest tents ever (the top image of the post). I was pinching myself the whole time- it felt like I had been invited to a beautiful wedding of a celebrity. Everything was perfect. I feel really lucky to have been a part of it and asked to participate. It was a day we’ll always remember and I was blown away by all the hard work and thought that went into planning each detail of it.

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

Keep reading for lots more details from the events of the day/evening! Plus the most amazing glamping tents ever…

(All images in this post are my own unless noted)
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This post is brought to you by The New Santa Fe from Hyundai.

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Here are some of the highlights of the day portion of the event.  I was taking mental notes of all the kid birthday party ideas the whole time! It would work great for a family reunion as well and have each family come up with a different group activity.

Group sand art: I was in charge of this one. We had a large tarp on the ground for easy clean up and I taped up a grid of sorts so families could decorate in a specific area with the sand to allow everyone to participate together. We worked on the center area before it started to show others an example.

We filled up plastic squeeze bottles with different colors of sand (the kind of sand you fill glass bottles with but just in bulk). For a really thin stream we left the bottles as is, but if you wanted a faster stream I had a few pairs of scissors around to snip off the tip. It was good because the thin stream controlled the toddlers aged kids, and the older kids could snip off the tip and use a faster stream if they wanted.

The kids really got into it. I loved seeing what they came up with and unique ways of mixing/layering/writing with the sand. The sand didn’t stick at all, it was a temporary installation. I was nervous about wind, but luckily the wind stayed away and the sand art designs were around all day for people to work on.

I was really engaged at the beginning of the day, making sure people started to work on areas near the center and were using the bottles appropriately, maybe a little too controlling. But by the end of the day I relaxed a lot more, stopped trying to control it and let them do whatever since I knew we had enough space on the tarp and sand to mess with at that point.

Check out Jared and my expression watching some older kids dump entire buckets of sand onto the tarp at the end of the day: “uhhhhhh should we say something?”

Tin foil warriors: Families made armor and warrior accessories from tin foil and then had a relay race involving whipped cream beards! Despite the odd expression I captured on Henry, I can promise you he loved it!

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

These dudes organized the event. How cool are they?

Giant hula hoop bubbles: Dipping hula hoops in giant kiddie pools full of bubble solution

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

Giant beach volleyball: So simple but Henry spent the most time here playing with the GIANT beach balls. I need to find one for our family trip this summer to the Outer Banks of NC.

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

Balloon animals: Henry scored a mega balloon hat at the end of the day! We forgot to mention the temporary nature of balloon creations which left him pretty upset later that evening when he found the best hat ever made had started popping.

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

Lots of other great ideas like a paint fight (colored water with washable tempura + water guns + ponchos), and these handmade rockets which shot up super high with some kind of homemade device, similar to stomp rockets (and love this shot of Roman below with his rocket!)

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

In the early evening we headed down to the beach area for dinner and relaxing.

After dinner we were surprised by singer/songwriter Brett Dennen coming to sing campfire songs around the firepit. Whaaaaat? He was sooo cute with the kids and really talented. They followed him around the whole time, even when he wasn’t singing- he had the pied piper thing going on big time.

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

Jared and Henry maxin the relaxin

(Image by David Crowther for Hyundai)

Later that night we headed up the hill to glamp (glamorous camping- the name cracks me up!) with tent from Shelter Co. Oh my GOODNESS! These were amazing, such a great idea for a casual wedding too! I loved the stairs headed up as well strung with cafe lights.

The tents had natural rugs, seating and a real mattress to sleep on with cozy blankets. Plus you could stand up in the tents which made getting around the dressing so much easier! Whoever invented these are genius! I’d love to rent a bunch for a family reunion, wedding, or another special occasion.

Such an incredible day, a huge thanks for everyone who worked so hard on it. I feel so lucky to be able to be there, we’ll always remember it!

(I’m climbing the Redwoods!)

Have I told you about my love affair with Redwood trees? I think it must have originated from my mother growing up in Redwood City, a town just south of San Francisco (which turns out doesn’t really have many Redwood trees at all in it), yet growing up in a New Yorker I kind of romanticized her California childhood amongst the giant Redwood trees. We’ve done a few family trips to visit the Redwoods since moving to San Francisco and the obsession with these magnificent trees continues! There’s something so magical about them, and Redwood groves are some of the most peaceful and spiritual places I’ve ever been. Aaaaand, yes, I did love this movie growing up.

(Hyundai Redwood Tree Climbing – Epic Playdate from Liz Stanley on Vimeo)

Above is a video they made when Jordan and I and our families ventured up north last month as part of the Hyundai epic playdate campaign- to climb Redwood trees! When they asked for ideas on what to do, I thought how amazing it would be to experience the Redwoods from up higher than eye level. Plus I knew Henry would love it and it would give him a chance to do something so completely different and new, especially since he spends most of his day in gated parks and schools. My favorite parts of the little video are when we got the kids on the rope and Jordan’s perfect expression sailing through the air amongst Redwood trees.

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This post is brought to you by The New Santa Fe from Hyundai.

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(All images in the post by Jordan Pay with the exception of my iPhone shots at the end)

The first part of the day was gearing up and training and since our climbing involved a full ropes course and zip line.

The boys got suited up too. They were so cute and super excited to climb.

The boys didn’t climb the actual trees the way we did, but they did have this great ladder course which they rocked at. I was surprised at how brave Henry was- he was pretty high up.

The adults climbed and zip lined through the trees next!

Fancy iphone behind the scenes shots:

The part at the beginning where we were filmed in the Santa Fe car required cameras mounted on both the front and side of the car. Plus, I was too short for them to get a good shot so they gave me a booster ‘crate’ to sit on. HA!

A few other shots from the day:

A mid-tree climbing walk while the adults were up

Pictures from The Founders Grove, where we stopped on the way home. It’s the best part of the Avenue of the Giants which is my very favorite place to visit Redwood trees-about 3 1/2 hours north of San Francisco.

The weather has been amazing lately! When the sun is out, dining outdoors is in. Luck for us Oakland has a good number of restaurants that offer patio seating, and Toast on College Ave is one of them. It was easy to convince my sister to join the baby and I for a little lunch bite while soaking in some spring sun.

The name Toast might throw you off for a moment since there are more than one restaurant in the Bay Area sharing the same name, but this Toast is not of the diner or breakfast variety. Instead, here you can nibble on things like cheese and charcuterie for lunch or dinner.

I’ve been to Toast several times, but for this lunch we ordered a salad of blood orange and avocado, the salami plate, a deviled egg salad sandwich, a lemon chicken kale sandwich and we shared it all.

Everything was really tasty. The citrus avocado paring in the salad was perfectly refreshing, and salami of course is always good! I had tried the egg sandwich before, and it still proved to be a favorite of mine.

Another bonus to patio dinning is it tends to be very kid friendly. If you have a little one like my four month old Parker, there is plenty of room to park a stroller, plus sound dispersed outdoors is much more forgiving for those moment when they get a little fussy.

 Keep reading for our next stop, Hawthorn…

Just a couple steps away from Toast is a beautiful women’s boutique called Hawthorn. The space is lovely, very open, and minimal but warm and welcoming at the same time. This is probably a direct refection of the ladies behind the business. Laura and Laurie (the shop owner) are so friendly! We have developed a little instagram friendship over the past couple months.  I definitely recommend giving them a follow @hawthornshop.

There is a lot to love here, dresses, killer jeans, shoes jewelry, but my favorite thing about Hawthorn Boutique is their passion for local and sustainable design. With labels like The Podolls, Ali Golden and Tradlands gracing their racks, Hawthorn truly practices what they preach.

Shopping here can really give you a sense of pride for living in the bay area. It’s just so inspiring to see all these lovely things that are made here, right in our own backyards.

I was wearing Parker in her baby bjorn this trip leaving my hands fee to shoot, so it wasn’t possible for me to try on and leave with any goodies, but I plan on making a trip back soon to do some legit shopping.  I am mad obsessed with these floral printed jeans by mother denim!

For this week’s Sites and Bites I’ve partnered with Blue Diamond Almonds, and in the spirit of their Get Out and Grow campaign I decided to try a completely brand new food to me! There is so much amazing food in San Francisco, and surprisingly a lot I still had not tried. I had heard a lot about pho, which is a popular Vietnamese noodle soup, and did some research to find that one of the highest rates pho spots, Kevin’s Noodle House, was right in my neighborhood (not entirely shocking, my neighborhood does have its fair share of asian food).

Photography by Eva Kolenko, see more in the Sites and Bites series here

It was a really yucky rainy day and a perfect time for something warm and soothing for lunch. Eva, my Sites and Bites photographer who came with me, had tried pho before which was a little more comforting to have someone else help me order from a kind of intimidating menu. There were two whole pages full of pho options. It was a little overwhelming to choose but she suggested I try just a plain beef or chicken. I went with the chicken.

There were all sorts of fresh fixings to put on top when our pho arrived like sprouts, basil and lime. I piled it on and dove in…verdict: completely delicious and not too foreign to me. Like a really fancy version of chicken noodle soup! I want to go back and try the beef and the eggs rolls we ordered for an appetizer were delicious as well.

Keep reading to see the site we visited after the warm bowl of pho…

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This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. Spring marks the start of the Blue Diamond Almonds growing season. Get Out and Grow and experience something good this spring! Head over to the Blue Diamond Almonds Facebook Page and tell them how you would use $1,000 to enjoy the good life this spring for a chance to win.

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For the site we headed just across the way to the De Young museum’s observatory tower in Golden Gate Park. This spot it a popular one for us because we live just a couple minute walk from it. It’s an amazing museum but the observatory is also a wonderful place to get a view of the whole city. Plus if you don’t have time to see the museum that day, you can just head up to the tower without paying an admission fee.

The whole floor is this really beautiful modern design with glass all the way around so you can see every angle of the city. Even though it was rainy and foggy, it was still a beautiful sight up there.

There’s a huge awesome map of the city on one wall that I love to stare out and try to locate points of interest. Below I’m pointing out where our home is on the map.

It’s a quick walk from Kevin’s Noodle house to the De Young, probably less than 10 minutes. We actually drove because of the rain but here is a map below of where you can find these two walkable spots in San Francisco:

Photography and writing by Sites and Bites contributor Eva Kolenko

Hi! I’m writing from Oakland to share a couple more fantastic finds on Sites and Bites today. I’m really exited to be a regular contributor to Say Yes To Hoboken especially since it means I get to share some of my favorite spots from my home base in the East Bay.

All images by Eva Kolenko, a fantastic bay area photographer

Today we’re visiting Namu Gaji and Pot and Pantry in the mission district, an area of San Francisco that’s jam packed with hip new foodie spots, trendy shops, and 10 bazillion hipsters riding around on their fixies listening to cool bands they’ll assure you no one else has ever heard of.

Namu Gaji is right next door to the super famous ice cream shop, Bi-Rite Creamery, and across the street from Dolores Park, a major hot spot for sunbathing hipsters and a beautiful new playground. A great place to people watch on a warm Saturday afternoon.

I had actually never heard of Namu before (it’s impossible to keep up with all the new spots all around here), but photographer Eva had recommended it, and the concept of Korean street food sounding amazing as soon as it was suggested- I was looking forward to the outing all week!

Founded by three brothers, Namu Gaji is an casual spot to grab some delicious and innovative Korean cuisine, and a great place to bring families as well especially for lunch. Every dish was amazing and all new to me- it was my first time having anything like it!

We ordered the kimchee fried rice (below), ‘the real’ korean taco (above left), and the bbq belly chicken sandwich. They were all amazing! Admittedly I devoured more than my fair share (Eva had a full disadvantage as she was focusing on snapping pretty pictures and I was focused on stuffing my face).

My favorite had to be the korean tacos (100% tortilla free): seaweed, rice, some amazing Korean crack sauce, galbi short rib chunks. YUM! I’ve been thinking about them ever since. Must go back asap! The kimchee fried rice was a close second. Spicy seasoned rice, delicious hot dogs, bacon, fried runny egg on top. You can’t go wrong. DELICIOUS.

Keep reading for the next stop…Pot and Pantry

Pot and Pantry is this adorable little kitchenware shop which specializes in new and gently used classic, industrial, and vintage kitchenware I want to fill all my shelves with. It was another that Eva has recommended and since I’d only driven by the cute lettering windows I was happy to finally check out the inside.

One of my favorite things was this little skill exchange board, such a great community idea! Reminds me of those virtual skill parties Erin from Design for Mankind runs!

The store was so perfectly curated and displayed. I swooned over every piece. One fine day I will walk in with wads of cash and re-stock my whole kitchen with the pieces from this beautiful store (a girl can dream, right?)

Here’s a map of where to find Namu and Pot and Pantry:

We’ve never taken a real Christmas vacation before, it’s always either visiting family or staying at home but this year I was really looking forward to a little trip with just our family. We decided on Tahoe because Henry has really taken to skiing like Jared, and I was really itching to be somewhere wintery (and we sure did get it- there were feet of snow!).

Just as we were starting to make plans, Enrout contacted me about reviewing their vacation rental search site for a trip so I gladly agreed. Enrout is a comprehensive search of a bunch of vacation rental sites that we’ve probably all used before like AirBnb, Flip Key, Home Away, and lots others. It’s great because there are so many more choices since you’re searching a dozen sites at once. I had only a few must haves for a rental: 2 bedrooms, tv with cable (we don’t have cable so it’s always a special treat when we get to watch tv!), high speed internet, hot tub (must have). I customized my search to include all those things, and we still ended up with some great options even during the busiest week of the year up there. We ended up with a great condo in Tahoe City within 20 minutes from three different ski resorts.

Some more instagram photos and details about our trip…

Tahoe is only 3 hours from San Francisco but worlds different in climate! It’s about 60 degrees here but we entered a winter wonderland as we got up into the Sierra mountains.  I was so excited to see some snow, since I miss it especially during the holidays.

The condo was perfect- cozy and comfy but we were anxious to head out skiing, even after the early morning drive.

Tahoe had just gotten a ton of snow, but the first day was a blizzard! It was beautiful, but Henry and I ended up spending most of the time drinking hot cocoa in the lodge while Jared gladly braved the storm.

The second day was much better, a little sun and still great snow. I was so impressed with Henry’s skiing, he especially liked the terrain park for the jumps.

The second day some friends of ours came up, we took a break from skiing and headed out to a great little sledding hill. That hill looks wimpy but believe me it was crazy fast in our cheapie flying saucer.

Henry liked stomping around in the snow too and making snow angels

We had a great time and hope to come back again next Christmas!

Big thanks to Enrout for helping sponsor our trip to Tahoe

This week for Sites and Bites we’re venturing across the Bay Bridge to Oakland! My friend Maia had introduced to a few hot spots there this summer and I thought it would be fun to share a couple with you today. We’re hitting up an incredibly well curated home goods store called Atomic Garden and then an amazing delicious eatery called Bakesale Betty. 

Atomic Garden is one of these incredible shops that you feel like you could spend all day in, dreaming up your imaginary home filled with white Scandinavian furniture and toddlers with good table manners. These incredibly crafted home goods, kitchenware, linens, clothing, and paper products of beautiful simplicity are so dreamy!

Their products are sourced from all over the world, hand crafted in small production and supporting local artisans. I could spend hours there handling each piece. Their timeless style is just impeccable. This is the kind of place that could do series damage to my bank account! It’s virtually impossible to go in and not come out with something beautiful and unique to take home.

Keep reading to hear about the amazing deliciousness at Bakesale Betty!

A couple miles away is an Oakland institution of Bakesale Betty which, as you can see on the menu above, only sells these incredible fried chicken sandwiches and a couple treats. That’s it!

I love it when a restaurant focuses on making one thing perfect, and Bakesale Betty absolutely nailed it with that friend chicken sandwich! It comes with this yummy spicy cabbage, jalapeno slaw, and the fried chicken is the best I’ve ever had. Hands down!

Everyone eats outside on these fun vintage ironing boards! My sweet fashion contributor Ashley joined me this week and was totally down for all my annoying photo opts. She’s the best!

Here’s a map of where to find these hot Oakland spots:

Atomic Garden
5453 College Avenue, Oakland, CA

Bakesale Betty
5098 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA

Hey friends! We’ve been in New York now for almost a week and I’m getting sad thinking about the fact that we’re leaving at the end of this coming week. It’s been a blast and I dream of moving back when I visit during this beautiful time of year. It makes me so nostalgic for my childhood! This is the third year in the row Henry and I have come for our peak foliage pilgrimage and this has been my favorite so far. My sister Celeste is here with her two kids as well so Henry is loving being with his cousins. I still have a list of things I want to do with him in the city (that we were supposed to do yesterday but he came down with a little cold, poor guy) like the Marionette theatre, Toys R Us, Natural History Museum (what else?). Here are some instagram (@yestohoboken) highlights of what we’ve done so far…

Today for Sites and Bites we’re experiencing the very best gourmet donuts in town, called Dynamo Donuts, and one of my favorite places to find home furnishings and clothing in the neighboring area of the Mission called Therapy. Two of my very favorite spots in San Francisco!

I first found out about Dynamo Donuts when my husband told me someone from his work had brought in the most amazing apple donuts with bacon on top. Actually. I think before he mentioned their famous bacon flavor he told me that these donuts were $3 each (!!) but totally worth it for the experience; and I agree fully! The flavors are super unique and fancy like Banana De Leche, Chocolate Rose, Lemon Pistachio, Ginger Orange, Bacon Apple, etc. They’re changing all the time (see a list here) and they run out quick so best to hit it up in the am before shopping.

The bigger the group you go with the better. Because then you can get one of each kind, cut them in pieces, and taste a little of everything. Amazing!

Keep reading to find out about one of my favorites stores for home furnishings and clothing, Therapy. Plus a map of this week’s sites and bites!

The first time I walked into Therapy I remember thinking I needed everything in the store to re-decorate our apartment. A fantastic mix of vintage with mid-century which is totally up my ally. There’s also a fantastic clothing version of Therapy next door that has really great sales this time of year. I really love their sophisticated, drapey pieces they always seem to pick perfectly. A great place to get a nice silk button up shirt for dinner with friends or a little dress for a date night. They have a few locations in the SF bay area, check out the full list. And I’m excited to hear they’re working on opening on online shop as well for all of you not living in the area. That whole part of the mission is amazing, we’ll be back to explore it again soon!

Here’s where to find Dynamo Donuts and Therapy:

Dynamo Donuts
2760 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Therapy
545 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110