OK, I live in northern Nevada. Not the part of Nevada that’s all cactus and hot and Vegas, the other side, that’s mountains and sagebrush and temperature extremes. Right now, it’s just ugly. Everything is still brown and dry. Plus, it’s still doing that weird thing where it’s 65 one day and snowing the next day. Just… ugh. Stupid March.
So it was really really nice to go to Northern California where the girls are warm where it’s actually nice and pretty and green and warm and ahhhhhhhh. (Did anyone get my lame Steve Miller Band reference there? Keep on rockin me baby.)
Look! Things grow in California in March!
Leila and me on the deck at Armida Winery
Hop Kiln
Now, THAT is a pergola!
Leila and me giggling drunkenly in front of the fabulous view at Gary Farrell
Turkeys wandering about at Kendall-Jackson
Here are some of the wineries that we visited:
Armida had a couple of really good ones. They had this cheesy-in-a-cool-way setup where you tasted the white wines in “heaven” and the reds in “hell”. Hell was infinitely more popular than heaven (duuuuh).
Hop Kiln was the prettiest winery we went to. I mean… look at it! The wines were fabulous as well. I brought this 2008 Pinot Noir home for my mommy.
Gary Farrell was this awesome, ultra-modern building up on a hill with a fabulous view. They weren’t on the barrel tasting but Leila’s sister knew they were good wines and took us there anyway. WORTH IT! Their tasting room had a ginorm window overlooking this valley…. and wow. Add to that some really great wines- I think this may have been the highlight of the whole day.
Kendall-Jackson is one of the big names. You’ve probably seen them at your local grocery store- and with good reason! They put out some pretty excellent wines. And the whole place, the grounds, the building, everything- just stunning. I wanted to move right on in. They’ve got huge veg gardens and turkeys and a beautiful building.
So basically I had the most awesome vacation ever. The wine was awesome, the food was unbelievable, and of course hanging out with Leila was so much fun. Oh, and shopping! I got a bunch of new clothes (including the top and sweater I’m wearing in those pictures). I sure missed my babies though! (Even the big 33-year-old one.)
Love it!!! Your website looks great. Can’t wait to see more. Love the pics too. You can definitely tell that Gary Farrell was at the END of the day! I had a blast with you and would do it again in a heartbeat!!
I’m glad you had a nice trip!
P.S., I like the new blog.
I love your new blog! I’m about to make the leap to WP too! The winery looks beautiful! I’ve always wanted to visit one!
First, you both look amazing in your photos – Rach I loooove your hair like that!! The place is absolutely beautiful. I’m glad you had a good time.
Ok and this was really weird and made my brain combust for a minute, but like 15 minutes ago I was on FB and my brother made the status update “I went from phoenix arizona all the way to tacoma” (because he went to tacoma to see a girl) and so I had that song stuck in my head for the last 15 minutes, and then I come here and I read your song reference EXACTLY at the part where that line was in my head. !!! I was like HOLY SHIT out loud and Kyle was all WHAT?? and so I told him and he was all “…..” and I was like DUDE!! and he was like “…yeah…that’s weird.” and I was like OMG!
also your blog looks way awesome. nice html-ing!!
Looks like you had a wonderful time. Napa is one of my favorite places in the whole world. I’m surely going to miss this area when I move. I am sorry that I wasn’t able to get together with you, but I’ll be seeing you on my way to Utah hopefully VERY soon!