A Time for Wine

"Wine is the most civilized thing in the world"

-Ernest Hemingway

Celebrating a late Valentine's Day, J and I ventured out to the local wine area - Fairplay. The sky was blue, the air crisp, and the wines all red in their brilliance. 

Winery Road

Often alone of the winery roads, we were free to take in nature's beauty. One of our first stops was to a newer winery, Saluti Cellars. Although they are off the beaten path, they're well worth a visit. They offer some of the most beautiful grounds in the area. In addition to an exquisite tasting room and wine cave, Saluti has a bed and breakfast cottage that is breathtaking. We plan to go back in the summer to enjoy live music and perhaps play some bocce ball.

Saluti grounds

Saluti Pond

After Saluti, we stopped at one of our favorite local wineries; MV. In our opinion, MV has by far the best reds in the area. Our favorite of the day was the 2008 Syrah Reserve. 

Simply Divine!

 The deep ruby red color is enhanced by the aromatic flavors of licorice, vanilla, and berries. It finishes with a warm carmel and cherry taste. 

While MV's tasting room is understated and small, you will not be disappointed with their vast array of bold reds.

One of our last stops of the day was to a new winery, Skinner Vineyards. Skinner is located on gorgeous property and their tasting room is reminiscent of a winter lodge. We had our picnic lunch overlooking the valley. Their patio will be a popular spot in warmer months.

View from Skinner 

We had a wonderful day and look forward to our next wine tasting outing. 

We are fortunate to live close to such phenomenal wine areas.

Old Vine Zin

Until next time... And remember...

Life's too short, to drink bad wine.

Good in Every Day

Today has not been a particularly good day. Not a bad day, just enough little wrinkles to darken my mood. The guy installing our new blinds is two hours late; I dumped a bottle of pepper (little cap fell off) into dinner...just little things.

And this happens to all of us. Not every day is a good one. In fact, some days are just down right bad. 

I came across this saying this afternoon and wanted to share it. 

There has to be at least one good thing in every day. So, instead of focusing on the negative, I will look for the positive in each day. And most days, I bet I find more than one.

I hope you remember this too.

All of us are going to have bad days. But if you look hard enough, I guarantee the little piece of good you find, will be enough to brighten your mood. 

And who knows, it may even be enough to make it a ...Good Day.

Simple San Francisco

For the past few years, J and I have attended the ZAP Zinfandel Festival in San Francisco. It's always held the last weekend in January and is a blast! The event itself is entertaining and with over 200 wineries and 500 wines, you leave there quite happy.

However, what we both enjoy perhaps more than the festival, is the short getaway to San Francisco. It's fun to be a tourist for the weekend and enjoy all the eclectic sites. Our first stop was Buena Vista. They have the best Irish Coffee and it's a fabulous way to start your day.

Right across from the Buena Vista, you can catch the iconic Powell/Hyde Cable Car. We didn't ride the trolley this trip, but always love to see it.  It was a gorgeous day and although it was late January, the weekend felt like spring.

J and I had lunch and shopped in the Haight/Ashbury district. For all of our time spent in the city, we realized that neither of us had been to this area. It's a definite flashback to the late sixties and you can still feel the "Make love, Not War" vibe.

On Saturday, we ventured to the Hayes Valley district to Straw (who knew there were so many districts in SF!) Straw is a tiny, carnival-themed spot. J had one of the best things I've ever tasted; a fried chicken and waffle monte christo. If you think that sounds weird, I'll point you to the old adage....don't knock it, until you've tried it. It is truly heavenly!

No trip would be complete without a stop at Crissy Field. Despite being the hub of outdoor activity, it offers one of the most beautiful views of the Golden Gate. It's this one area in particular that makes me wish I was a city girl.

Simple travels definitely keep life's wrinkles at bay. They keep us smooth and help us appreciate the abundance in our life. 

Until next time, San Francisco. 

We know our hearts will be safe with you until then.