December, 2019 | Petite Retreater

Have Yourself a Hygge Little Holiday

Photo by @itscolleenk at the Mt. Hood Tiny House Village

If you haven’t heard of hygge, you’re most likely not paying attention or don’t have a desire to feel comfy and cozy! Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word defined as “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).” Hygge has been gaining traction in the US for about the last four years and is yet another quest for Americans to add much-needed comfort and relaxation to their crazy lives. So, let’s find a way to hygge up your holidays, both in your gift-giving and in ways to deal with the holiday stress.

Gifts

Candles are big in the hygge world. Consider World Market’s Natural Birch Bark Candles ($5.99) for instant cozy or their Tobacco Flower and Rosewood Filled Soy Candle ($14.99).
A required item for cozy is of course a blanket, so consider the Cable Knit Reversable Sherpa Oversized Throw from amazon.com ($69.80) or Pottery Barn’s Cozy Pom Pom Throw ($49).
A diffuser with essential oils can bring calming scents to the air. Try the Aromatherapy Oil Diffuser Helix ($29.99) available from Target.com. For essential oils, consider the Wellness Set from planttherapy.com ($39.95) which includes oils mixed for wellness.
Don’t forget a book to explain all about Hygge – some of the more popular ones include The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking or The Art of Hygge by Elias Larsen and Jonny Jackson. Both are available on amazon.com.

Views for days at this Lake of the Springs Cabin in California.

Taking Care of You

Drink more tea! Proven health benefits include soothing the digestive system and decreasing risk of heart attacks as well as calming your mind.
Practice Mindfulness. Not everyone can spend an hour meditating, but you can take a few minutes to close your eyes, clear your mind, and do some deep breathing exercises.
Host a Hygge Night. Have friends over where the only requirement is comfy clothes and blankets and pillows. Share stories of holidays past and reflect on all that you are grateful for.
Get outside. It may be cold, but a short brisk walk can do a lot to relieve stress.

The perfect spot for a family movie night at Natchez Trace, near Nashville.

A Sunny Southern Cali Kind of Stay

A cozy cabin at Pio Pico, near San Diego.

Make your winter months as sunny as possible and head to southern California to explore the area. Daytime temperatures tend to hover around 68 degrees and the sun is out more than it’s not! There are places to make a home base while you visit the known and lesser known attractions in the Golden State.

Los Angeles: First, book a stay in a cozy cabin at Soledad Canyon and then get ready to check out the area that draws more than 48 million visitors each year.

Of course, many people flock to LA to see the stars of the human variety rather than the celestial kind. You may want to combine a hike in Runyon Canyon with your star-search efforts as this a is favorite spot for the exercise-minded celebrity. Another spot to see stars in their everyday life is The Grove, an LA shopping mecca and the adjacent Original Farmers Market. Whether you see the stars or not, these are all worthy expeditions while in Tinseltown.

Cabin interior at Soledad Canyon, near Los Angeles.

Other LA attractions include the Griffith Observatory for celestial stargazing, the Santa Monica Pier, and Huntingon Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. And, if you want to feel like it’s winter in all the sunshine, visit Pershing Square’s Holiday Ice Rink, located in the Financial District of the city. The Square will also host a Winter Holiday Festival on December 7, complete with LA’s version of snow!

San Diego: Start by making a reservation to stay in a cabin or cottage at Pio Pico, which is a perfect location thanks to its proximity to San Diego proper. San Diego has beaches, the Pacific Ocean, museums, galleries, a world-class zoo, lots of history, and a boatload of outdoor fun to be had.

The San Diego Zoo consistently ranks as one of the top zoos in the world. With more than 3,500 rare and endangered animals, including gorillas, polar bears, and koala bears, this is definitely not your basic zoo. Visitors can enjoy a guided bus tour through the zoo or see it from above on the zoo’s Skyfari Aerial Tram.

Make a stop at the zoo as part of your San Diego Hop-on Hop-off Trolley tour which also makes stops at Old Town State Historic Park, which is considered the Jamestown of the Pacific; the city’s historic Gaslamp Quarter and Balboa Park.

Santa Barbara: Choose from a cozy cabin, teepee, or covered wagon at Rancho Oso and then head out to explore this charming California town known for its architecture and history.

A safari tent at Rancho Oso, near Santa Barbara.

One of the neat things about Santa Barbara is its proximity to the Channel Islands National Park, an archipelago of five islands. A great way to explore the Park and the islands is through the Santa Barbara Adventure Company (www.sbadventureco.com). There are all kinds of adventures waiting on the Channel Islands including snorkeling, sea cave exploration, hiking and whale watching.

A great way to get to see the beautiful architecture of the city is to take one of the weekend walking tours, offered Saturday and Sunday, through the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara (afsb.org) Tours begin at 10 a.m. and last approximately two hours.

And again, if you want to experience a bit more of a winter feeling in this sunny climate, don’t miss the “snow” events at the town’s Paseo Nuevo outdoor shopping center where “snow” fills the evening skies through December 31. There is also holiday entertainment including carolers, choirs, and Santa himself!

Mt. Hood Tiny Population Grows!

Meet Ingrid, one of the newest tiny houses at the Mt. Hood Tiny House Village

We are so excited to reveal that the Mt. Hood Tiny House Village has grown with the addition of two new tinies. Joining the existing five tiny houses, Zoe, Lincoln, Scarlett, Atticus, and Savannah are Anderson and Ingrid. The perfect complement to the existing gang, Anderson and Ingrid bring their own stories to the Mt. Hood Tiny House Village and provide two more marvelous opportunities to vacation tiny at Mt. Hood.

Anderson is all about the modern design and is a bike enthusiast to boot! For him, it’s all about the bike – mountain bikes, comfort bikes, road bikes, new bikes, old bikes. Find him a trail and he’ll gladly pedal it! When he’s not atop a two-wheeled machine, he’s most likely perusing a design blog, with a freshly brewed coffee in hand from his AeroPress. Green and minimalist are two more adjectives to describe this guy and the Pacific Northwest and its vast expanse of greenery and biking trails is Anderson’s happy place.

Anderson

Ingrid can best be described as a book lover but turn back a few pages and you’ll find she’s so much more than that. A lover of podcasts, craft beer and breweries she’s equally at home in a library as well as the great outdoors. She’s hard working, curious, and makes it a daily goal to learn something new or see things from a new perspective. An innovator, a reader, and a burgeoning social butterfly, Ingrid is a great addition to the tiny home collection at Mt. Hood.

At a robust 332 square feet, Anderson has room to sleep 7. Cedar plank siding with, of course, a modern design, the tiny home houses a full bathroom, kitchen, and a large living space. Anderson’s sleeping situation is two large queen beds in the loft, one queen bed on the first floor and a pullout couch that folds down to a twin bed, also on the first floor. No pets, please.

Ingrid

Ingrid, of course, boasts a Scandinavian design with sleek modern lines. At 385 square feet, five can sleep comfortably selecting from two queen/full beds in the loft, and a pullout couch that folds down to a twin bed on the first floor. A full bathroom, large living space, and kitchen add to the charm that is Ingrid. No pets, please. (Lincoln is our pet friendly tiny house!)

Mt. Hood is one of those destinations that is an all-star any time of year. In winter, the draw of the ski hills, snow-laden trails and snow-capped mountain views are the reason to visit while summer brings opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and swimming. And again, trails upon trails for hiking, biking and walking in the great Pacific Northwest are a major reason to add Mt. Hood to your to-do list.

Mt Hood Tiny House Village Tumbleweed

The Mt. Hood area must-dos include hiking the Timberline trail, driving the Mt. Hood Scenic Loop, a visit to the historic Timberline Lodge and exploring the beauty of Trillium Lake.

Don’t miss an opportunity to visit this breathtaking location in the Pacific Northwest and to make one of Mt. Hood Village’s tiny homes your place to stay when you’re here! Visit www.mthoodtinyhouse.com for information on making reservations!