A girls weekend at Torrey Pines
Important lesson learned on this girls trip: no matter what the weather is like, all you need is a spa treatment, a glass of bubbly and plenty of distraction-free time to catch up to have a really delightful time. My friend Jillian (former coworker turned real-life friend of coffee date fame!) flew out to San Diego from the East Coast for our fourth annual girls trip: past girls trips have included wine tasting and driving through covered bridges in Bucks County, eating lobster rolls and searching for lighthouses in Maine, and frolicking through flower fields outside of Philadelphia. It was so fun to have her in my newly adopted hometown!
This trip, I wanted to show Jillian a little bit of what my life is like in San Diego: namely, my favorite coffee shop and my favorite cocktail spot in my neighborhood. But we also wanted to make this feel more like a girls getaway than just me hosting her for a weekend, so we opted to stay at the Lodge at Torrey Pines. We definitely made the right call! It felt like a true vacation (even for me, but I think especially for Jillian as the mother of a 18-month-old babe!): the Lodge is nestled on the world-famous Torrey Pines Golf Course that overlooks the Pacific Ocean, and it’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of San Diego.
We checked in the late on Friday night, and woke up to a gorgeous but overcast view of the golf course from our balcony. Unfortunately, we were NOT blessed with typical San Diego weather for the weekend: it alternated between cloudy, drizzling and pouring, and was constantly gray and chilly. We were a little bummed out since we had grand visions of reading our books by the pool all afternoon (and I obviously wanted to show off that idyllic Southern California winter weather to Jillian and convince her to move out here!!!), but took solace in the fact that the Lodge at Torrey Pines is maaaaaybe the best place to endure a rainstorm in San Diego. It almost feels like a grand old lodge in the Berkshires, with lots of roaring fireplaces and oversized Persian rugs and cozy nooks to curl up with a book.
We woke up bright and early, and decided to start the drizzly day with a brisk walk through the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve before the weather got too baad. The Lodge is located not only on one of the most famous golf courses in all of the world, but it’s also right next to stretches of unspoiled beaches and miles of hiking trails. Torrey Pines is actually one of my favorite spots to go for an easy hike with girlfriends early on a weekend morning: even if you’re not staying at the Lodge, highly recommend enjoying the ocean views and strange rock formations on these trails. And I might just have to start tucking into the Lodge for breakfast after said hikes!
After our early morning walk (between jet lag and an early bed time, we were up and at ’em at 6am), we decided to splurge on an indulgent breakfast on our room’s balcony. I’m still daydreaming over the blueberry and granola pancakes that Jillian ordered (and let me enjoy several bites of), although the huevos rancheros were also savory and delicious. And, of course, no room service breakfast is complete without a side of bacon to share!
Since the weather wasn’t exactly pool-friendly, we decided to relax in front of the big fireplace in the lobby. Jillian curled up with her book, and I took advantage of a little bit of time to catch up on emails. I had Jillian take this photo because I realized that although I talk a lot about how much I end up working on vacations, I don’t usually have any photo evidence-here you go! 
We did brave the cold to enjoy some time in the hot tub! I’m a sucker for soaks in the hot tub, and this felt especially indulgent with the views over the golf course. We went in one night before bed too, which felt like such a treat. 
Hands down, the most fun part of our afternoon was our spa session. I’m a total spa enthusiast and I love trying out different treatments, and Jillian was stoked for some true relaxation after her cross-country flight. I opted for the sea leaf wrap, which was unlike anything I’ve ever done before: the seaweed is hand harvested from the sea in Ireland, and then wrapped all around your limbs to detox you! And Jillian had the hot stone massage, which she was RAVING about for hours afterward: even now, I think her 80 minutes with Jeff (she highly recommends him!) might be the highlight of the trip for her. I also just love having long, indulgent afternoons at fancy spas with a girlfriend: we took full advantage of the sauna, steam room, relaxation room and all of the lovely bath products.
Jillian is one of the most dedicated drinkers of bubbly that I know: she is always up to start the evening with a glass of prosecco or Champagne, which I LOVE. It makes everything feel like a special occasion! We had the most wonderful dinner at AR Valentien on Saturday night, and of course, had to start with a glass of bubbles. Our server, Steve, was truly a class act: we learned so much about every course from him, but my favorite little tidbit was about champagne glasses. He asked if we would prefer it in a flute or a globe glass, and we sort of looked at each other like, whatever works! But he had us try it in both glasses, and it was crazier how much more effervescent it seemed in the rounder wine glass. You learn something new every day! 
I’m definitely filing AR Valentien away in my stock list of restaurants to go again, especially on a special occasion. The food was delicious, with a focus on seasonal and local cuisine (and lots of incredible seafood). Everything we ate was fantastic, but what really set it apart was the incredible level of genuinely helpful and enthusiastic service.
Of course, we didn’t skip dessert! I might go back just for this salted caramel chocolate tart, topped with espresso bourbon ice cream. It was SO good.
But maybe my favorite part of the night was introducing Jillian to tawny port! Although I don’t drink it very often, I’m such a devoted lover of port. I remember trying it for the first time wine tasting when I was living in Australia and falling in love with it. I splurged on a bottle from a vineyard (which was a BIG deal when I was young and broke–it felt very grown-up!) and I used to keep it in my room and just have a teeny bit before bed to make it last. Ha! Anyway, it’s still one of my favorite after-dinner drinks and it was such a fun way to end our wonderful dinner out. 
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a girls weekend without a pug sheet mask! I always get such a kick out of them, and they’re actually so wonderfully hydrating. And since Jillian and I originally bonded over our shared love of pugs, it seems especially apt. 
Of course, we woke up to beautiful blue skies on the day that we had to take Jillian to the airport! Even though we didn’t get to spend too much time at the Lodge on Sunday, I still loved being able to see the stretch of ocean from our room.
Before we left, I had to take a walk along the beautiful grounds at the Torrey Pines Golf Course. My parents are incredibly avid golfers, and it really made me want to come back to the property (whether for a stay or just for dinner) and show them–although I don’t think they’d be content to just look at the course and not play it, of course!
And that pool! I could have easily set up shop there for DAYS with a good book. 
Overall, we had such a fun time–mostly catching up on each other’s lives, but it was also so lovely to really be in a setting that encouraged a bit of indulgence and relaxation. I already can’t wait to go back and do more exploring in the Torrey Pines hiking trails, and slip into the Lodge for breakfast and a view. Also: if you want Jillian’s take on the weekend and more of her beautiful photos, check out her post here (all of the food photos were taken by her!).
Note that the Lodge at Torrey Pines kindly offered us a complimentary stay, but all opinions are my own.
