The Garden at Esalen, Big Sur

On my last road-trip to Big Sur, I made a point to visit Esalen, the legendary cliffside retreat/healing center/spa and general dream zone. After soaking in sulfur baths and being massaged by a healer (also named Heather), Alex and I blissfully wandered around the property. And I stopped dead in my tracks as we approached the gorgeous, sun-soaked garden. Row after row of flowers (sunflowers, dahlias, cosmos) alongside thriving herbs and vegetables (used year-round in the Esalen kitchen), all set against the most breathtaking of backdrops: that ocean, those rocks, the towering redwoods. More on Big Sur soon, but these pictures will inspire me as we move into another work week.