Castle Rock Park + Lunch at Café Gratitude
That, my friends, is a vegan chocolate chip cookie dough cinnamon bun that I got from a bakery in Berkeley named Cinnaholic. Holy amazingness in my mouth. Of course I had to eat it in three separate sittings over two days to prevent the onset of a sugar coma but it was totally worth it. That was only one of the many (like 40?) options they had plus the story behind the owner of the shop is pretty cool too. You can bet I’ll be going there again.
Okay, let’s back track a little bit and talk about life before Cinnaholic. Saturday was consumed by watching the first A&M game of the season which started at 10:00am our time but I convinced Brandon to record it and watch it at 2:00pm so that I could get a few things done first. I knocked out a five mile run, made cookies and loaded nachos, and then settled in with an ice cold beer to watch the game while Coco stared at me with this face.
I just love her little grey eyebrows.
On Sunday, we decided to head back to Castle Rock Park (where we did our 5k trail run) to take Coco hiking for a little while.
The park is right behind horse stables and we spotted a cute little baby horse in one of the stalls.
It’s tail was so long that it dragged on the ground. So cute.
Even though it reeked like horse manure, it still felt good to spend time with nature for a while.
We decided to take Coco on the same trail we ran a few weeks ago which starts on a relatively steep incline that continues for about a quarter of a mile.
After that, the trail is shaded with a few small hills here and there.
We saw a few trees along the way that had what we suspected to be walnuts growing from them.
Walnuts…Walnut Creek. Makes sense.
There are also good views of the surrounding mountains and we spotted a few climbers at the top of one.
It took us about an hour and a half to do three miles because of our frequent stops for Miss Coco.
She also made friends with a little girl who was out there hiking with her grandfather so that slowed us down a bit too.
I think Coco enjoyed the company though.
By the time we finished the hike, we were ready for some lunch so we took a drive to Berkeley to eat at a vegan restaurant named Café Gratitude.
We’ve been to Café Gratitude once before and loved it so it was only a matter of time before we went back.
This time, I ordered the I Am Pure; a mixed green salad with grilled peaches, roasted almonds, and cashew herb cheese, tossed in a balsamic dressing.
Brandon ordered their BLT with maple coconut bacon (ermagerd…so good) and we split a side of garlic roasted organic potatoes topped with spicy cashew nacho cheese.
From there, we walked about a half mile to Cinnaholic which is right across from the UC Berkeley campus.
On the way back the car we passed a Ben & Jerry’s and Brandon got the bright idea to take a picture with me as Ben and Coco as Jerry.
Her complexion is surprisingly similar to Jerry’s, don’t you think?
Alright, I’m off to get ready for a short (woo hoo!) work week tomorrow.
I hope you all had a nice weekend!
What’s the best dessert you’ve had recently?
That cinnamon bun looks KILLER!! I LOVE that it is vegan, too! :)
There was a Cafe Gratitude in Healdsburg and by the time I finally went to go there it was closed! I was shocked.
That cinnamon bun looks ridiculously gooooood!
Aw, that stinks! I guess Healdsburg isn’t as big of a city so they probably had a hard time keeping business. You’ll have to go to Berkeley sometime to try it!
When I saw the cinnamon bun on Instagram, I immediately had a very, very strong urge to go out and buy a cinnamon bun and cookie dough and combine them. So strong that if I had my own car at school I most definitely would have done it. It. Looks. So. Good. As does your other food. I’m always super jealous of your hikes–I wish I lived in an area in which I could hike as often as you do!
Haha. I guess it’s a good thing you don’t have your car.
I’m not usually one to eat raw cookie dough but knowing it was vegan completely changed that. It was amazing. Sorry, I’ll stop rubbing it in. ;)
That cinnamon roll looks amazing!! I love when vegan treats are as good as the real deal and that icing oozing down the side…drool ;). I haven’t gone on a hike for way too long. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sounds like a wonderful weekend! I can’t remember the last time I went on a hike. Oh my gosh I need Cinnaholic in my life. That actually looks incredible. Sugar overload, but incredible!! Happy Tuesday lovely
I can’t get over how amazing that cinnamon bun looks! Mmmm I bet it was delicious! But I totally get dividing it up over a few days, haha. You and Coco are too cute as Ben and Jerry! Love it!
OMG That picture!!! My BF’s sister lovessss cafe gratitude and has been raving about it to me! Guess a visit to Berkeley is in order :) Would have chosen to stay in and hang out with the man than blogging too! Love blogging but really nothing compares. I love reading about all the fun activities you get up to though so stop by every once and a while ;)
Thanks love! I think I’ll continue to stick around for a while. ;)
I hope you get to go to Berkeley sometime! That’s just one of the many amazing restaurants there.
That looks like such a fun time and your pictures are lovely! Of course, I can’t get post the amazing cookie dough cinnamon bun. YUM!
I’m sorry… I tried to pay attention to the rest of your post, but that cinnamon bun totally stole the show :P Holy.snap would I kill for something like that – which is pretty much exactly what I thought when I saw you post it on IG. And Coco’s face <3
Ummm…can you send one of those cinnamon buns over to me!?! ;-) It seriously looks amazing!!! Castle Rock Park looks gorgeous and it looks like you had perfect hiking weather too!
Wow – those photos from your hike are beautiful! Makes me want to go hiking right now! haha But that’s not gonna happen .. that whole work thing. And Coco is so cute : ) Our beagle has the same grey eyebrows. And I also need one of those cinnamon buns asap!
If only we looked as cute with grey eyebrows as we age… ;)
That cinnamon bun looks incredible! I’ve been thinking lately that I need to try homemade cinnamon buns, I’ve never tried to make them before. And that Ben and Jerry’s picture is hilarious! I need to try and get Atti to do something similar with me, that makes for such an awesome photo.
Haha, I think it would be much easier to do it with Atti. Brandon was struggling to hold 70lb Coco up and the sign was moving everywhere. All the while we asked a complete stranger to take this ridiculous picture. It was embarrassing but it made for a good memory! :)
Looks like a great weekend! Coco has some awesome stamina, my Bella would never make it that long hiking. I’ve been trying to cut back on my sweets lately so no amazing desserts, sadly.
Coco barely made it because of the heat. We had to stop every five minutes or so to give her water and rest. I try to find short hikes for her because I hate leaving her at home but it can be a little challenging for an old girl.
I am insanely jealous of your California lifestyle! Your photos are always just so amazing. That hike looks like so much fun! And your salad- to die for! Looks like you guys had a spectacular weekend! Have a nice short week.
I think New York looks pretty awesome too!
Oh my goodness how cute is Coco?! :)
That cinnamon bub looks incredible! Wow! The best dessert I had recently was a slice of red velvet cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. It’s one of my faves! :)
That is an adorable picture of you and Coco as Ben and Jerry. :)
You and Coco make a pretty amazing Ben-Jerry team. I like it. I also kind of like that cinnamon roll. And I kind of want to be eating it right this second. I’ve been kind of slacking in the dessert department lately. I can’t remember the last yummy dessert I’ve had! Shameful, I know.
Sarah I love your blog, always so interesting, I always take five to read it and have a coffee enjoying the pictures of your travels, food, places, country, and BEAUTIFUL Coco. Really relaxed and natural keep up the great work love seeing your countryside I’m in Australia, Queensland and can relate to those brown looking mountains!! Hooroo from Oz!
Thank you Honour! I’d love to visit Australia some day and see your brown mountains too! :)
Maple coconut bacon? OMG I die. I just bought my boyfriend a pint of Ben and Jerry’s smores ice cream because it was on sale….I mean I had to, right?!
That it. I need ti head up to Berkley and try that cinnabun. It looks amazing. Sooo much ooey looking goodness there. Cafe Gratitude is pretty cool. I went to the one is San Rafael area and nearly died over the deliciousness of their date smoothie. I think there’s one in Santa Cruz. I must hit it up.
I haven’t been to Castle Rock Park before. I’ll have to go check it out this fall for some hiking :)
Looks like you had a fun weekend. Coco is so damn cute. Her grey muzzle kills me. Reminds me of our old family dog Eclipse. She went grey like that and was oh so sweet. <3
Coco is such a sweety :) I drooled a little bit over that cinnamon bun AND that cashew cheese sauce. That’s what I’m talking about! Hope you’re having a great start to your short work week!!
Yours is the third blog I’ve read today that talks about hikes (and trail runs) and I am dying to get my big ole butt out there and do one myself! We are on the cusp of perfect weather and I’m just itching to do it – and your gorgeous pictures are extra enticing! :) Coco is too precious, per usual, and as Beth said, when I saw that cinnamon roll on instagram my heart warmed because I immediately thought I could have one too! But alas, pictures are not real life. Bummer.
That Cinnabun looks like it was amazing and so delicious!! As did those potato nachos and love the sound of the cashew cheese on your salad.
Sometimes it is good to take more days off blogging and just relax :)
That cinnamon bun though. Torture my friend. I went to the A&M game with my brother who goes there and it was great! It was REALLY hot, so you’re lucky you got to see the recording. I mean I love A&M, but 110F is pushing it :)
Oh, I believe it was 110F! We used to go to every game and the beginning of the season was always torture. This game was a little sloppy because of all the players that were disqualified. Hopefully they get their stuff together before we play Bama!
Umm, could you maybe ship me one of those cinnamon buns? :) I think I need to make a special trip just to get one of those. When I saw the picture, I immediately thought, “Wait a second is that cookie dough?!” then you verified it and I got really jealous. That looks incredible!! If you ever recreate that recipe I will be first in line to make it! All the desserts I’ve had recently pale in comparison to that….:)
I think that one might be beyond me to recreate. That and I don’t want to turn into a lard butt trying to get it right. ;)
These hikes are seriously killing me. I’m trying to figure out why I haven’t moved to California yet. And the picture of you and Coco in the Ben & Jerry’s cut out….HILARIOUS! I can’t believe she posed for you.
I want that cinnamon bun ASAP! I think you should try to recreate it!
You should move to California! I would love to have a running buddy. I can’t believe she posed either; it was so funny!
Holy Hey-Seuss!! That cinnamon roll surely fell straight from Heaven! Cinnamon rolls are at the height of my baked good weakness (because let’s face it, it’s hard to resist all that ooey gooey melty cinnamony goodness) but cookie dough is like my kryptonite! I would probably have a coronary with my first bite…but that would be ok with me because that would just put me closer to the source…wait, yeah, I helped an old lady cross the street the other day…I’ve got my Hev Card! ;)
I got to visit the Cafe Gratitude in Santa Cruz a few years ago when I was on vacation and was so impressed by all the flavors! Wish they had had some of that coconut bacon…I’d have been all over that!
Love all the pics from the hike! What a gorgeous view! And your pup is the cutest…she definitely makes a good Jerry! ;)
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