Solana Beach Sunday

Solana Beach is one of my favorite places to spend a lazy afternoon. The city is the perfect spot for a little sightseeing, dining and shopping. The main shopping street, S Cedros Ave, is a gorgeous collection of boutiques, cafes, plant nurseries and many other different types of shops. There is surely something to make everyone happy! I find myself frequenting Cedros Ave when I am looking for something incredibly unique, high-end, and well crafted. Earlier today, I took my dog, and we went for a stroll and did some shopping. I picked up a few things, and I will share them below. Another great thing about the shops on Cedros is that the majority of them are dog friendly. Feel free to bring your dog inside the shops as long as they are on a leash. Below, I will highlight my favorite places to shop and dine on this fabulous street. If you ever find yourself in this area, be sure to check out this local gem.

Native Poppy

This stunning flower shop offers one of a kind bouquets and other high-end home goods. The staff utilizes the highest quality flowers sourced from local vendors. Not only are you getting a beautiful product, but you are stimulating the local economy and supporting local growers. One of my favorite products that they sell are their dried bundles. When most people think of a floral bouquet, they think of living flowers. What's unique about these dried bundles is that the flowers, leafs, and grasses are dried and contain no moisture whatsoever. Therefore, the dried bundles are able to last basically forever. They offer an assortment of options sure to please anyone. If you love flowers, but want something just a bit more unique, then this is the shop for you. Check out the dried bundles on their website.

Bixby & Ball

Bixby & Ball is a quaint coastal contemporary home furnishing store. They also carry a myriad of home accessories from cashmere throws, to handcrafted french soap. Today I happened to pick up some of said french soap. I like this soap for a myriad of reasons. Primarily, I am drawn to it because the soap is handmade in France by the family who owns the company. It is a local family company, so I feel good supporting a family owned small business. Additionally, the soap is made of incredibly high-quality ingredients. It always leaves my skin feeling very smooth and clean. In my opinion, it is well worth the hefty price tag. If fancy soap isn't your thing, don't worry. Bixby & Ball has a wide variety of quality products to give your home that elevated coastal touch. Be sure to poke your head in for an unforgettable shopping experience. Find the soap I bought today on their website.

Madeline Cafe & Bakery

Take a break from shopping and pop into the best French cafe Solana Beach has to offer. Complete with family recipes from France, the French staff brings the cuisine and ambience of a French bistro/cafe to Southern California. Along with ready to order items, the cafe also offers a small grocery section. All the groceries are imported from France, so they are items you likely have never seen before. I love checking out stock while I am waiting in line to order. You never know what you may find! Last time I was there, I found some delicious black truffle salt from some small French village. My favorite thing to order on the menu is the La Crepe Complete, a ham crepe with fresh gruyere cheese. I love to pair it with a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. Truly one of the most delicious combinations. While I've never had anything else on the menu, I assume it is all amazing as well. So if you are feeling a bit peckish during your Cedros shopping trip, stop at Madeline's for a French meal unlike anything you have experience before.

Overall, Cedros Ave is a beautiful spot to spend the day. I hope the guide above gives some insight into the offerings of this lovely area! Now get to shopping!