Mother's Day is this Sunday and before we get into everything else this week I want to recognize something that we, as moms, tend to overlook.
Nobody prepares you for what actually happens when you become a mother. I’m not talking about the hard parts, even though I feel like we are never prepared enough to manage those. The thing nobody tells you is what becoming a mom does to your sense of self. How quietly and completely it shifts and transforms you. One day you are one person and then you are someone's mom and those two things are not in conflict, they just permanently rearrange the order of everything. I did not expect to find this much meaning in this much chaos. Motherhood is not what I pictured and it is so much more than I imagined at the same time. There are days I feel like I am barely holding it together and days where I look at my kids and cannot believe this is my life. Most days are a little bit of both. You are doing something that matters enormously even when it doesn’t feel like it. Your kids are not going to remember the perfect days. They are going to remember you. This weekend, let’s embrace these moments and this feeling. Happy Mother's Day!
Date Night
Rancho Capistrano Winery is the move this Mother’s Day weekend. Voted Southern California's Best Winery by the OC Register and San Juan Capistrano's Best Restaurant, this is a spot that has earned every one of its 40-plus Best of San Juan awards and it shows the moment you walk in. I was instantly sold on a membership from the very first time I walked in because I loved the outdoor patio with the fireplace and the live music. Nestled in the heart of historic downtown San Juan Capistrano, just steps from the Mission and the train station, the setting is as good as it gets.
This is Orange County's largest winery, producing over 40 wines sourced from premier California growing regions, and the food menu is built to match. The sesame-crusted ahi, the shrimp-topped halibut, and the crab benedict are the standouts, and the weekend brunch is its own experience worth booking separately. Weekend wine and chocolate tastings run every Saturday and Sunday, a guided 60-minute journey through five wines paired with artisan cheeses and locally crafted chocolates from Luisa Chocolatier at $65 to $75 per guest. The patio has fire heaters and the energy on a Friday or Saturday evening with live music is exactly what a Mother's Day weekend out should feel like. Book early, this weekend will fill up fast. They are known for running special holiday menus so check ranchocapwinery.com for Mother's Day details before heading out. Open Monday through Thursday 11:30 AM to 9 PM, Friday 11:30 AM to 10 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 10 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 9 PM. Located at 26755 Verdugo Street in San Juan Capistrano.
Mom’s Brunch
RJ’s Cafe
RJ's Cafe has been voted Best Breakfast and Best Family Restaurant in Dana Point for 14 consecutive years and the harbor location alone explains a big part of why people keep coming back. Tucked into the Dana Marina Plaza right across from the harbor, the patio is dog-friendly, the vibe is completely relaxed. My favorite type of spot with the kids! Nothing fancy, very casual. Walk over to the water after and you have yourself a pretty amazing Mother's Day morning.
The menu is extensive American breakfast done well with generous portions and reasonable prices. The lobster Benedict and feta avocado scramble are the standouts, the French toast is a consistent favorite for anyone with a sweet tooth, and the biscuits and gravy and homemade cinnamon rolls come up in reviews repeatedly as worth ordering. The eggs Benedict gets called out specifically for the homemade hollandaise and the perfectly cooked potatoes. It does get busy on weekend mornings so plan to arrive early or be ready for a short wait. No reservations accepted so first come first served. Open daily 6:30 AM to 3 PM at 25001 Dana Point Harbor Drive in Dana Point.
Just For You
Mary Colby Tea
If you are looking for something genuinely special this Mother's Day, this is it. The annual Mary Colby Tea at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente is one of the most beautiful and meaningful events in South OC and it sells out every year without fail. Casa Romantica itself is a 1927 Spanish Colonial Revival estate perched above the San Clemente coastline with sweeping panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. It is the former home of San Clemente's founder and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There is truly no more stunning outdoor setting in the area for an afternoon with your mom, your daughter, or your people.
The tea takes place in the historic outdoor courtyard and includes a champagne reception, traditional English high tea service with an assortment of scones, canapés, and desserts served on Mary Colby's own china collection which she bequeathed to Casa Romantica, plus raffle prizes and a boutique silent auction. The event is named in honor of Mary Colby, a San Clemente businesswoman, world traveler, and philanthropist who hosted an annual community tea for years before passing and leaving her legacy to this cultural center. Every dollar raised directly funds arts education programs for children across the Capistrano Unified School District. You are getting a beautiful afternoon out and supporting something that genuinely matters at the same time. Tickets sell out quickly so do not wait. Book now at casaromantica.org. Located at 415 Avenida Granada in San Clemente.
Movement & Motivation
Foundation Pilates
Foundation Pilates opened in San Clemente and quickly became one of the most talked-about studios in South OC. Owner Erin O'Brien spent six years teaching and building devoted client communities in Long Beach and Los Angeles before moving to San Clemente and realizing there was nothing quite like what she wanted to create here. So she built it. The studio sits on the second floor of 1502 S El Camino Real with ocean views, beautiful arch mirrors, thoughtful lighting, and a free matcha and coffee station that reviewers mention almost as often as the workouts. It is the rare fitness studio that feels genuinely beautiful to be in.
The class structure is one of the things that sets it apart. Foundation Pilates offers five distinct reformer levels including Foundations, Form, Flow, Fire, and Flexi, plus mat classes, yoga, and wellness offerings like sound bath and breathwork. The approach is intentional and built to be inclusive from day one. Every class layers movements from easier to more challenging so nobody feels forced to modify from the start. If you are brand new to reformer Pilates the Foundations class is the place to start, gentle, alignment-focused, and genuinely accessible. If you are ready to push, the Fire class adds a cardio element through the jump board that will leave you shaking in the best way. The instructors are consistently called out in reviews as knowledgeable, warm, and attentive, and the community that has built up around the studio feels less like a gym and more like a group of people who genuinely want to be there. Open seven days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM. Located at 1502 S El Camino Real on the second floor in San Clemente. Book at foundation-pilates.com.
You spend so much of your life making sure everyone else is taken care of. The needs, the schedules, the emotional weight of holding it all together. Most of it goes unnoticed and you do it anyway without needing the acknowledgment because that is just who you are. This weekend is about someone doing that for you. Accept it without rushing past it, without pivoting back to what still needs to get done, without making yourself smaller so everyone else is more comfortable. Let the day actually be about you. Let the celebration land. You are someone's whole world and not in a small way. In the biggest, most foundational way there is. Let that be seen and felt this weekend. Happy Mother's Day!
See you next Thursday!
