#Rails

It’s time for my Weekend Meanderings with Elizabeth and Juliet and all our obsessions of the moment.

As someone said yesterday, ‘I am sick of living in unprecedented times’, and I could not agree more.

I couldn’t post without expressing my outrage on the the unbelievable striking down of Roe v. Wade yesterday. I felt sick about it and also so angry. We now have less rights than our mothers over our own bodies. My mother and grandmother would never believe this. We are one of four nations in the world banning a women’s right to choose – Afghanistan is another. That tells you who our peers are on human rights now.

What I think upsets me most is the people (so often infuriatingly men) bragging about how they’ve been working towards this for years. What exactly were they working toward? Pressing their religious beliefs on others? Making sure that every child conceived is born? Making women live with an unwanted pregnancy? It’s ludicrous. And it’s going to be deadly for women in so many ways.

This law will affect women of low income the most. We know that 60% of all women seeking abortions ALREADY have a child. This is a choice between women and their medical doctor. A friend’s very religious mom said to me why is there even a law? She believes this is between a woman and her doctor. Now in America now have a law telling woman what they can do with their bodies, but there is nothing about men’s bodies.

Why do we want more babies born into poverty, minimal education opportunities and dire family situations? It’s a recipe for more crime, poverty and more societal woes. If we are ‘pro-life’ we should care that every child that is born to have the best upbringing, food, shelter, love and education. In states where these mandates are happening, they have records of terrible support for women, families and social assistance.

Conservative church groups promising formula, diapers, and baby blankets aren’t going to fix that. And those same people, who so celebrate these births are NOWHERE to be found once these kids got to school hungry, in crap neighborhoods with broken families and later become teens on the streets. Pro-life means caring for all stages of life and clearly that is not happening after birth with these groups. The same pro life people are okay with assault rifles wreaking havoc in our children’s lives and letting any 18 year old have a weapon meant for war. You can’t have it both ways people. You can’t care only for the fetus, but that is exactly where their concern ends.

What we need is a nationwide walk-out, a strike of all women and men who want to say no this is not America and we won’t accept it. We need to register every warm body to vote in the next election too.

Today this is how much this law affects our nation via the New York Times...

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We are officially in summer now and I am loving it. It’s been a bit warm, but the promise of summer gets me so happy, even if it’s just a late night trip to get ice cream or a day at our local beach. It’s not even the doing, but the thinking of maybe doing, that gets me happy. I am also enjoying people’s travel posts and seeing where in the world people are going. It’s a joy after two years of staying close to home.

Aptos Gems

Speaking of local travel, Max and I did a fun beach day last week, at Aptos. We left early before the traffic backs up on highway 17, and had a very long walk on the beach, called Sumner or to locals, Beer Can Beach, then hiked up the trail to Seascape Resort. I did this walk almost 5 mile that day), in flip flops, but I would recommend something with more support, especially for the path to the resort. You could make the walk longer or shorter depending on how far you continue down the beach.

We love this beach and it’s kind of a quiet one. You can walk both ways and going north you hit Rio Del Mar, another beach town with a few eating spots. We planned on grabbing lunch at Seascape, which is south of the stairs but they seemed to be understaffed. Instead, we walked across from the resort to the Seascape shopping center, a little enclave that is under the radar! We ended up at a very good Mexican spot called Palapas upstairs with ocean views and the nicest people.

Afterwards we checked out the cute shops and I am now officially a fan of Seascape Foods a small grocery/deli/bakery and general store. I was amazed at the just made gourmet sandwiches and noticed they have morning burritos, the freshly baked cinnamon rolls, house made bread, salads, juices and fresh local coffee. The store is owned by a couple and one does the baking. Very fresh produce is everywhere, along with staples and snacks and just cut lavender from a local farm and plants! My photos don’t do this place justice..

I went home with a beautiful throw and a basket to hang a plant. I had to hold myself back from buying more baskets. The owners obviously have a good eye and you can find gorgeous home items. I can’t wait to go back. It was like a beautiful bazaar!

There is also a darling women’s store in this center, where I bought a new hat, a pizza spot, wine shop, flower shop and lots more.

My hanging plant basket, new throw and hat…

This is excellent stop to grab a lunch to go at the deli ( or eat on the benches there) or have a Mexican lunch with a view. For parking, this beach is accessed through a neighborhood, but you must go early!

How to be Italian!

A wonderful little book, How to be Italian, came on my radar last week and I ordered it straightaway. I am just beginning this fun guide which is a perfect summer escape and reminds us how to slow down, savor life and enjoy the little things. There are lovely photographs and chapters on Italian thought, culture, fashion, food and dolce far niente: the sweetness of doing nothing. If we can’t get to Italy this summer, at least we can try and live like one!

Rails Dresses

With the weather so warm, I just want to live in dresses that are light and comfy. A friend wears a lot of Rails which is a California brand and has the California casual vibe. These are the kind of dresses I will grab over and over again and make it easy to look pretty on the hottest days. Just add some cute sandals, a straw bag and pull your hair in a bun and you’re good to go. Some of the Rails dresses:

I’m loving this Valentina Dress in white, this green floral Constantine Dress

Also super easy is the Tara Dress in blue stripe and the Ashlyn Dress and the Arielle Dress..

You can find more Rails dresses here and here. The run pretty true to size and I am a medium in these.

Target

On my quick trip to Target this week, I spied some seagrass lanterns that are excellent quality and would be darling on a table or in the porch or yard. They come in two sizes, $20 and $25. I love when Target has something so affordable and looks nice too. I’m obsessed!

Target also has some of the new solar outdoor candles for these which is so easy. No more batteries!!

While at Target I also found a dress.. This sundress is so nicely made and our store had the only the floral Hawaiian print, but I loved it. The smocking on this dress makes it look expensive, is flattering and you could possibly get away wearing this without a bra. The smocking camouflages a lot. It also has pockets!

Just a few of the other prints it’s available in.. This is a nice quality dress!

Santa Cruz Beach House

This little beach cottage showed up on the listings this week, It’s the perfect size for a beach cottage and I love the shingle style and shabby chic look of the interior. This cottage has a view to the ocean along a river and it’s in a great area near Pleasure Point. It is so charming I had to share here. Now if it was only about a million or so less..

A hopeful video on NYTimes..

A lot has happened the past few weeks, but I haven’t stopped reading and doing more research on the gun violence epidemic. It’s heartening that we passed some legislation to help, though I wish assault weapons were banned, and it’s horrible the new Supreme Court ruling that people do not need a concealed weapon permit.

One heartening piece in this time of dismay was this video about how a CDC researcher who wanted to use gun statistics to end gun violence and and an NRA advocate in congress who crafted some of the laws restricting gun information, came to be dear friends. The man who crafted the laws, came to regret it and later was working for change and gun control. It shows we can come together and solve these issues when we listen to each other instead of retreating to sides. Both of these men really seemed like good people. If you can watch the video, I think its gives one hope, which we so need now.

Well that’s my meanderings for this week. Please stop by Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs and see what’s on their radars this week..

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Thank you for being here. Have a lovely weekend,

Kim

If you missed last weeks meanderings, I had a Tahoe kayak trip for science, my new dining room rug and curtains, a lemon pound cake that is easy and so good, and a California road trip cookbook you’ll want for you library! Find that post here.

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