A Lady Goes West

A healthy lifestyle blog by Ashley Pitt

  • Home
    • Popular Posts
  • About
  • Fitness
    • Les Mills Group Fitness
    • Workouts
    • Fitness Tips
    • Class Reviews
  • Food
    • What I Ate Wednesday
    • Recipes
  • Clean Beauty
  • Mom Life
    • Fit & Fertile Book
    • Baby
    • Pregnancy
    • Postpartum
  • Press
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

A beautiful Carmel Thanksgiving and my weekly workout report

November 28, 2016 By Ashley 12 Comments

Hi, friends! I hope your Thanksgiving weekend (if you celebrated, of course), was just lovely. Dave, Rudy and I road-tripped the short two-hour drive down to Carmel-by-the-Sea to spend a Carmel Thanksgiving holiday with his parents and little sister, and we had so much fun. Lots of beautiful views and food coming your way. 

Ashley in Big Sur by A Lady Goes West

This was our third visit to Carmel-by-the-Sea, and each time we go, we do different activities, eat at different restaurants, stay at different places and have totally different experiences.

The Hideaway Hotel in Carmel

After a short workout on Thanksgiving morning, we hopped in the car and headed down to our destination with very little traffic (we didn’t have any on the way back on Sunday either, which is a Christmas miracle). We arrived to The Hideaway, a cute boutique hotel right in the heart of downtown Carmel, just before lunch-time. Our room was small, but modern and well done. And the common areas included a big lobby with seating and a fire pit …

The Hideaway Hotel by A Lady Goes West

We all agreed that the hotel’s location was perfect, the set-up was comfortable, and the complimentary breakfast and happy hours each day were awesome (house-made granola each morning for all of us, yummy!). I’d definitely stay at The Hideaway again, but next time ask for a second-floor room, because the bottom floor was a little loud with foot traffic. No big deal though. The pumpkin pie and free wine definitely made up for any disturbances at night, and yes, it was dog friendly for Rudy.

Point Lobos State Reserve walk

Soon after we arrived, we greeted Dave’s family, dropped our bags and all headed out just a few minutes away to Point Lobos State Reserve for a pre-feast walk. The park was really busy and we walked down a couple of cliff-side trails for about 30 minutes, soaking up the cool weather and views.

Point Lobos State Reserve in Carmel by A Lady Goes West

We also picked up a few snacks on the way and had a “snacky” lunch, so we didn’t fill up too much before the main event later. (By the way, they don’t allow dogs at public parks like this, but I kept Rudy in my jacket and held him the entire time, and nobody even noticed. He left less of a trace on the land than we did.)

Tasty Thanksgiving dinner at Grasing’s

Then came the big meal! I had never eaten Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant before and was worried it wouldn’t seem festive, but it was totally fine. Our group of five had a 5:30 p.m. reservation at the super-full Grasing’s restaurant, and we each ordered the traditional turkey meal off the menu. The turkey was so good, and I’m not that much of a turkey person!

Thanksgiving couple in Carmel by A Lady Goes West

Pitt family on Thanksgiving in Carmel by A Lady Goes West

Funny thing about that night is that the restaurant had run out of the pecan pie by the time we arrived, and we were a little disappointed — so the manager invited us to come back the next day for a free slice, and we did. Nice work, Grasing’s Coastal Cuisine! (The pecan pie and vanilla ice cream we enjoyed the day after Thanksgiving was the best dessert I had all weekend.)

Grasing's Thanksgiving meal by A Lady Goes West

On Thanksgiving evening, we had good conversation and sat around the table for more than two hours before it was time to make the short walk back to our hotel for an early bed-time for all. Oh and we also said three things we are grateful for, carrying on my grateful theme I proposed last week, so let’s see if I can keep it up. How about you?

Pebble Beach Resort visit and lunch

On Friday, we went to Pebble Beach Resort to walk around the incredible golf course and area. It’s right on the Pacific, and is just breathtaking (and the homes in the area are worth more than $20 million each, and you can definitely tell) — not your average neighborhood, for sure.

Rudy and Dave at Pebble Beach by A Lady Goes West

Dave was lucky enough to play golf at Pebble Beach once before, and said it’s one of the highlights of his golfing career. That day, we had lunch outside at Pebble Beach’s The Bench restaurant, and enjoyed a great meal. I had a California Cobb salad with chicken, and it was perfection. Just the right amount of greens to follow up a big Thanksgiving meal the day before. 

California Cobb salad at the Bench by A Lady Goes West

By the way, there was an absolutely massive dog sitting right across from us with his owners, and he was an 125-pound Newfoundland. So big! Especially compared to little Rudy, who was a bit nervous around the big dog. Of course, after the meal, I got caught on my phone posting my lunch picture on Instagram, with Rudy’s help …

Ashley on Instagram by A Lady Goes West

That afternoon, we went back for the pecan pie at Grasing’s (mentioned above, totally delectable), and Dave and I hit up a tasting room for a wine flight. In the evening, we all were still pretty full, so we elected to sit in the bar area of Anton & Michel and order small plates to share. The stand-out that night, although un-pictured, was a naan bread pizza. Totally going to try to recreate that at home one day! 

Pitts in Carmel by A Lady Goes West

Big Sur adventure and last night out

The state of California is incredibly gorgeous, and just when I think I’ve seen most of it, another gem presents itself. On Saturday, we drove to Big Sur, which is only about 20 minutes from Carmel. Dave and I didn’t realize we had been missing out on such a spectacular vista of all the times we’ve stayed around the area. It was unreal!

Dave and Rudy above Big Sur by A Lady Goes West

We took in the views and had a wonderful outdoor lunch at Rocky Point Restaurant, which has one of the best settings possible. While it had been rainy in the morning, the clouds parted for about an hour, so we could really soak up Big Sur outside.

Kissing in Big Sur by A Lady Goes West

Ashley and Rudy in Big Sur by A Lady Goes West

Crab Louis salad above Big Sur by A Lady Goes West

We climbed some rocky cliffs for some photos and vistas and then dined on tasty food overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I had a shrimp and crab Louis salad, which was amazing, and really pretty too. We seriously lucked out that the rain went away just for our quick trip to Big Sur, because it would have been a shame to have had to see it from the safety of a car if it had stayed raining.

That night, on our last night together, we played a game of Scrabble in the hotel lobby, had a tasty Italian meal at Casanova, then finished up with dessert at Basil Seasonal Dining. I would totally go back to all of the restaurants that we ate at during this visit and even repeat the hotel and Big Sur. Such pretty views, delicious food and fun time with family. A fabulous time was had by all on our non-traditional Carmel Thanksgiving holiday! 

Breakfast at The Hideaway Hotel in Carmel by A Lady Goes West

On Sunday, we had breakfast at the hotel, headed back to Walnut Creek and got all organized for the week ahead. Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to get in the Christmas spirit! We’re super excited to have a trip to Florida on the agenda for late December, woohoo!!

My weekly workout recap

From travel to fitness, let’s look at all of my recent exercise …

Weekly Workouts by A Lady Goes West

Weekly Workouts

  • Monday: Took a one-hour Vinyasa flow class at CorePower
  • Tuesday: Taught a one-hour BODYPUMP class, taught a one-hour Bootybarre class
  • Wednesday: Took a one-hour Vinyasa flow class at CorePower
  • Thursday: Did a 30-minute full-body weights workout
  • Friday: Rest day
  • Saturday: Rest day
  • Sunday: Took a one-hour yoga sculpt class at CorePower

Overview of the week

This past week included a lot of yoga, and it felt great. I was a bit off of my normal schedule with the holiday and travel, but did manage to fit in picking up weights three times, which is always my objective. I also had a very rare double-workout day on Tuesday, because I had agreed to sub a Bootybarre class for another instructor in the evening on a day that I always teach my own BODYPUMP class in the morning. Two full rest days featured as well (gotta take at least one rest day weekly), so this past week was just right.

That’s it from me! Have a great start to your week, my friends!

Carmel adventures, including #beautiful #California scenery, #food and #fitness by @apstyle ... Click To Tweet

P.S. Thanks to Meghan for today’s “Week in Review” link-up. 

Questions of the day

How was your Thanksgiving?

How many rest days do you take each week?

Filed Under: Travel, Weekends, Weekly Workouts Tagged With: Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Grasing's, holiday, Thanksgiving, The Hideaway, Travel, weekend, workouts

SIGN UP FOR A FREE GIFT

Get a free "How to have a great week of workouts" checklist and action plan when you sign up for the list. And you'll get new posts by email.

About Ashley

I'm a mom, writer and group fitness instructor, and A Lady Goes West is where I share fitness and wellness tips, as well as stories and learnings from my life in the San Francisco Bay Area.
 
Stay in touch ...
Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest & Facebook.

Comments

  1. Susie @ SuzLyfe says

    November 28, 2016 at 4:17 am

    I honestly don’t know what looks most delicious, most gorgeous, or sounds most fun! What a fabulous weekend +. I missed my furbabies while we were gone–maybe next year, Ridley won’t be out of her mind still and could handle going away for Thanksgiving. But I wouldn’t have trusted her not to get eaten by an alligator!
    Have a great week, Ashley!
    And when are we moving into one of those houses???
    Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Palmetto Bluff Thanksgiving 2016My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      November 28, 2016 at 7:19 am

      Hahha yes I would have missed Rudy too- that’s why I’m glad we can bring him most places. I hope your Thanksgiving trip was great, friend!!

      Reply
  2. Patricia @sweet and strong says

    November 28, 2016 at 4:18 am

    Your trip sounded so fun! California really is so beautiful, I know my sister has talked about visiting Big Sur before and it’s one of her favorites. I can’t believe Thanksgiving is already over, but we got in the Christmas mood yesterday and got the tree and house all decorated. It’s crazy how having lights and a festive house just puts you in a better mood! Have a great week!
    Patricia @sweet and strong recently posted…Thanksgiving, Popcorn, Cereal Bars, and Shopping DealsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      November 28, 2016 at 7:19 am

      So cool you guys got your tree up. We were a little too tired from the weekend to do our so are hoping to get it up this week. Hope your Thanksgiving was perfect!!

      Reply
  3. Julie @ Running in a Skirt says

    November 28, 2016 at 6:12 am

    LOVE everything about this! What an amazing time. I have been the this area of the country, but it’s been a LONG, LONG time. I need to go back!
    Julie @ Running in a Skirt recently posted…Thanksgiving Weekend 2016My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      November 28, 2016 at 7:18 am

      You definitely need to go back, Julie! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

      Reply
  4. Sarah @ The Fit Niche says

    November 28, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    What a wonderful – and beutiful – weekend! I take 3-5 rest daysa week right now 😉

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      November 28, 2016 at 2:32 pm

      Hi Sarah! It was nice — and it sounds like you are getting some good rest each week. Keep it up!

      Reply
  5. Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets says

    November 28, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    Beautiful views and food is right. I’m so glad you got to spend the holidays with Dave’s family. I think the people are so much more important than the food (pups included), although your meals looked pretty tasty too.

    Happy Monday and thanks for linking up.
    Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets recently posted…Week in Review (#59)My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      November 28, 2016 at 2:32 pm

      Hi! Agreed! That’s why I love holidays so much!!

      Reply
  6. Heather @ Polyglot Jot says

    November 29, 2016 at 4:45 pm

    Wow what a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend! I’ve never done Thanksgiving or Christmas at a restaurant but would absolutely go for it! No clean up or prep work!
    My thanksgiving was good–we had dinner with my husbands family and dessert with my family!
    Heather @ Polyglot Jot recently posted…November Goals & Intentions ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      November 30, 2016 at 8:12 pm

      Hi Heather! It was REALLY nice to not have to clean up, for sure. And if we were home, we would have missed leftovers, but because we were in a hotel — no big deal. 🙂 Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
      Ashley recently posted…A beautiful Carmel Thanksgiving and my weekly workout reportMy Profile

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

ashley bio pic

Hi, I'm Ashley. I started this blog when I moved from Florida to the SF Bay Area, and I love to help you live a balanced life, making sure you never skip a rest day. I'm a mom and fitness instructor, and A Lady Goes West is where I share my workouts, simple meals and wellness tips with you. Find out more about me and stay awhile!

Connect with me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search This Blog

Follow

Get my ebook

Fit & Fertile ebook: How I found my body's fitness from the inside out by overcoming hypothalamic amenorrhea.

Recent Posts

  • The best pieces from Carbon38 and a Carbon38 discount code
  • Current faves: We’re in Charlotte, a book, Clean Deo and workouts
  • How to start 2021 off right and my goals for this year
  • My best memories from eight years in California
  • A Lady Goes West year in review for 2020 (personal and professional)

SIGN UP FOR A FREE GIFT

Get a free "How to have a great week of workouts" checklist and action plan when you sign up for the list. Your email address will automatically be added and stored to receive new posts by email and more. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

The latest on Instagram

Exactly twelve years ago today, I spotted Dave acr Exactly twelve years ago today, I spotted Dave across the bar in Orlando and decided to chat him up. And really, the rest is history, and boy am I glad I made that decision that day. We celebrated today by retrieving our cars that finally made it across the country and returning our rental car. Here’s to making the first move, because sometimes it totally pays off! ❤️
Hi, I'm Ashley Pitt, formerly Ashley Pinder, or AP Hi, I'm Ashley Pitt, formerly Ashley Pinder, or APin or APinder, as my friends used to call me. It's been a long time since I introduced myself here on IG. And even though most of you know a lot about me, some of you don't. So here's a quick download (paired with a sequence of photos that took place yesterday):

-I was born and raised in Florida, I spent the last eight years in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, and I just moved with my little family to Charlotte, North Carolina one week ago.
-I've been a fitness instructor for 11 years, and I started out teaching Les Mills BODYPUMP as a side hobby while I held down a job at a public relations agency in Orlando. By the way, I never imagined I'd leave the corporate world behind, but I'm so glad I did. And now I work for myself with fitness, blogging and Beautycounter as my full-time gigs, in addition to momming, of course.
-I haven't taught an in-person fitness class in 10 months, but I teach virtual classes every week, and I absolutely love it. Send me a DM if you want to work out with me!
-Yes, I'm a mom. But I had a hard time getting pregnant while struggling with hypothalamic amenorrhea. With a few lifestyle changes, I was able to recover, and because of that experience, I've adopted a "no extremes" motto when it comes to food and exercise. Now I have one 3-year-old curly-haired son named Brady, and I have a small fluffy dog named Rudy, and they are the cutest.
-I started my blog, A Lady Goes West, more than 8 years ago, and I write new blog posts every Tuesday and Friday. If you've never read it yet, I'd love to have you come on over.
-Here on my IG profile, you can expect some real talk about wellness, mom life, moving to Charlotte, fitness and all of that good stuff. I don't track macros, I don't create fancy recipes, and I don't do anything D-I-Y, but I still hope to connect with you and add some positive value to your feed. Thanks for being here!
Greetings from Charlotte, North Carolina! We’re Greetings from Charlotte, North Carolina! We’re just finishing up day four of our moving-back-east adventure, and so far so good. Although the planner in me does look forward to some more certainty, we’re enjoying the fun of this transitional time as we look for a house and find our way in a new city. It definitely feels like we are just temporary visitors right now, which is a feeling I felt when we first landed in San Francisco. But that’s just part of the beauty of moving. And by the way, you’ll see me repeating clothes for a bit until our stuff makes its cross-country arrival, so let me introduce you to this outfit:
-Jacket is @fabletics
-Scarf is @ragandbone
-Leggings are @caliabycarrie
-Shoes are @drschollsshoes
-Shades are @vincecamuto
-Brady’s wearing all @oldnavy with some @hunterboots.
Here’s to starting our first full week in the Queen City! Have a good one, friends.
Peace out, California. This lady who went west is Peace out, California. This lady who went west is officially heading back east. Today, we closed on the sale of our home, the movers drove off with our stuff, and we ended an 8-year-and-3-month adventure in the San Francisco Bay Area. What a ride it has been, full of amazing moments, great memories, tough situations, so much learning and even more growing into who we are today. We’re heading to North Carolina with clear eyes and full hearts — so you know what that means.
.
By the way, I wrote a post about my best memories from the last eight years, which is on A Lady Goes West right now, if you want to check it out! See you soon from the Eastern time zone!
So many things were tough for us in 2020, but boy So many things were tough for us in 2020, but boy am I glad we went through it all together. The highlight of the year was - by far - time spent with my little family. And we’re looking ahead to the big changes we have in store, with one-way tickets booked out of California next week. Happy New Year, friends! Here’s to change in 2021! 🎉🥂😍
Hands up in the air if you’re ready for a new ye Hands up in the air if you’re ready for a new year? While we know things don’t drastically change just because the date says 2021 instead of 2020, there is some power in possessing a more positive mindset and having your eyes wide open for more good ahead so you can accept it as it comes. Let’s be honest: This year has had some major ups and downs, and I’m definitely ready to embrace change, but I also know that change takes time and I’ve got to keep pushing for it, even if it doesn’t happen instantly.
.
Speaking of 2020, today I published the final post of the year on A Lady Goes West with a raw look at a year in review both personal and professional, so head on over if you’re interested in that.
.
And finally, this detailed-back bra is from @caliabycarrie and I’m loving it. It’s the Made to Move Strappy Back, and I have it in a ton of colors. #caliabycarrie #ad
Load More... Follow on Instagram

As seen on

A Lady Goes West is a personal blog meant for entertainment purposes only and does not serve as a substitute for professional advice from your own doctor, trainer or nutritionist. While I'm a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, the workouts, food and plans I post are what works for me and may not work for you. Please enjoy these stories and tips from my life, but proceed with caution. Also, know that affiliate links and sponsored posts appear from time-to-time, and I appreciate your support. For more information about how your data is stored, visit my Privacy Policy. Thanks for reading!

Copyright © 2021 Ashley Pitt (A Lady Goes West) · Design by MakeMe{dia}Over