Tag: wine country

Our First Family Vacation -Calistoga

img_6620

Last weekend we packed up, dropped Juno off at pet camp & headed north for Calistoga! We stayed at Indian Springs Resort & we loved it. Our room was awesome. It had a great little balcony so when Will went to sleep around 7:30 Chris & I would head to the balcony & play cards & drink wine! This was our first getaway as a little family of three. We’ve taken Will to my parents house but he’s never stayed in a hotel. We really wanted to go on a trip to get him more accustomed to new places but we didn’t quite want the stress of flying yet. He’s typically a great napper on the go, but I think the heat was to much for the little guy because he definitely struggled to nap when we were out & about. I can’t blame him though it was hot even for us! Luckily he slept wonderfully at night! William also got to go swimming for the first time this trip! We’d wake up in the morning I’d feed Will really quick & then we’d head to the pool before it got too hot. It was great because the pool was empty that early in the morning. The pools at Indian Springs are natural hot springs so the water is around 92-94 degrees this time of year. William loved it. He was so relaxed, he would start sucking his thumb & closing his eyes while he floated! It was wonderful to get away for a few days & enjoy the summer weather & just recharge. We’re in SF for the next few weeks as I wrap up my maternity leave & then in September we’ll be take Will to Austin for the first time! YAY!

Flying February 

February always seems to go by in the blink of an eye & this February was no exception. We layed low much of this month, in part due to my hectic work schedule. We enjoyed staying in the bay area, took a quick trip to Napa & introduced Juno, our black lab, to wine country. Needless to say she loved it. For Valentine’s day I made these festive chocolate dipped strawberries & we enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Cliff House! The cliff house is a San Francisco must, the food did not disappoint whatsoever. These chocolate dipped strawberries are super easy to make. 1/2 a regular pack of chocolate chips will cover a regular size pack strawberries. I melted the chocolate chips in a glass bowl with a 1/4 tbsp of coconut oil. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. You can dip the strawberries or drizzle the chocolate. I added Valentine sprinkles for additional  cuteness. Then I refrigerated them until consumption! I’ve been making these strawberries as a sweet Monday night bachelor themed dessert! Let me know if you recreate these. We’re off to Scottsdale for Giants spring training today! 
Xoxo

Mendocino Lake

IMG_5162IMG_5139^^ heart eyesIMG_5152IMG_5142^^ Juno’s Frenchie Boyfriend Jax IMG_5163IMG_5156IMG_5161IMG_5158IMG_5164IMG_5159IMG_5153IMG_5141IMG_5155IMG_5170IMG_5138Driving home through vineyards…IMG_5137

This weekend we camped in Mendocino Lake, about 120 miles north of San Francisco, through wine country. It was absolutely beautiful & the weather was spectacular. It is so nice to get out of San Francisco’s mid to high 60’s & actually experience some summer heat. I always forget how great camping is, it just really makes it feel like summer. And I must admit I think it’s a lot more fun with a dog. Juno got to hang out with her Frenchie boyfriend Jax & a 1 year old golden retriever so needless to say she had a phenomenal time. Although sharing a 3 person tent with a seventy pound labrador puppy is less than ideal. It was so nice to unplug and just enjoy being outside with good friends. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Calistoga Escape

IMG_2387Calistoga you are a dream come true, located 75 miles north-east of San Francisco, experience the same warm weather, fantastic wines but a fraction of the Napa crowds.

IMG_2482

Lincoln avenue is lined with tasting rooms, restaurants & boutiques.

IMG_2229

Most tasting rooms we found had excellent prices & generous pours of delicious local wines.

11831722_10205959688325639_2675678252185840987_n

^^These pours were found at Huge Bear Tasting Room, which was once the location of the Calistoga Bank.

IMG_2179

At Romeo Winery tasting room you can be surrounded by tall redwoods in their outdoor tasting garden.

IMG_2256

IMG_2183

IMG_2247 IMG_2239

A can’t miss Calistoga experience is the gondola at Sterling Winery.

IMG_2358

A 4 minute gondola ride leads to outrageous views of the valley. 
 IMG_2338

IMG_2313

Off in the distance you’re able to see a castle…

IMG_2366

Three miles away Castello di Amorosa winery awaits you. $25 buys you general admission & the basic wine tasting which includes 5 wines.

IMG_2374 IMG_2381 (1)

Visitors are able to wander the castle grounds or enjoy the sunshine in the courtyard.

IMG_2378

My pretty friends 🙂

IMG_2421 (1)

IMG_2443

IMG_2393

IMG_2400

IMG_2391

After a day of gondolas & castles & many wine pours later we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Sam’s Social Club, located in downtown Calistoga.

IMG_2460 (1)

IMG_2449 IMG_2448

^^ Those deviled eggs were no joke; a must if you’re there.

IMG_2491

IMG_2486 (1)

We stayed at The Roman Spa, not only is this resort just one block from Lincoln Avenue, but the resort has 3 mineral pools that stay open until 10:30. The pools range in temperature from 90 degrees to 104.

IMG_2284

Aside from the pools, Roman Spa has luscious gardens that I could spend all day capturing.

IMG_2280IMG_2267

IMG_2272IMG_2278

IMG_2172

Hope you can see why & how we fell in love with Calistoga.

Napa Valley Bliss

There’s nothing quite like escaping San Francisco’s foggy summers, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, & enjoying wine country for the day. We did exactly this last weekend & stopped by one of our favorite vineyards. Keep scrolling to find out why we love Frog’s Leap so much.

IMG_0890

One of my favorite Napa spots is Frog’s Leap Winery, situated on gorgeous farmland, this laid back venue makes for an excellent, relaxing experience. My first trip to Frog’s Leap was nearly 5 years ago, & we’ve been going back ever since. This vineyard always earns a spot on our Napa agenda for the day, hopefully you’ll see why.

IMG_4320 (1)

One of my favorite parts about Frog’s Leap is the ability to explore the grounds. You can walk through the vineyard itself or explore their garden. They’re dedicated to organic farming, sustainable living & quality wines, what’s not to like!?!

IMG_0908

IMG_0861

If you aren’t into exploring the grounds, you can hang out on their awesome porch & enjoy the shade. I love that this Winery has so much outdoor space, there’s Adirondack chairs around every corner & they even have an outdoor tasting area. I love how low key & low pressure the atmosphere here is, there’s no pressure into buying a wine membership at the end of your tasting. Beside being low pressure, Frog’s Leap is very easy on the wallet. Their tastings run about $25 / person, with generous wine pours & delicious full bodied wines, even the newest wine fans are sure to find something they’ll enjoy here.

IMG_0995

These are just some of the reasons Frog’s Leap makes my list, do you have a go to winery? If so I’d love to hear about it!

IMG_4355 (1)

 Some Sappy Napa Newlywed Love…

IMG_4318

Garden finds…

IMG_0791 (1) IMG_0856  IMG_0965 IMG_0942 IMG_0918  IMG_0974IMG_0869 IMG_0929