Into the Woods

It's Friday and another beautiful fall weekend is ahead of us.  Every weekend my husband and I enjoy getting outside with our three dogs and taking advantage of the amazing fall scenery and colors.  Whether you go for a hike, a stroll around your neighborhood, or a nice walk through the woods, just get outside.  The fresh, crisp air is good for your lungs and for the soul.  I promise.  And if you can take some pictures with an extra cute Beagle, consider yourself lucky.  Have a great weekend!

Xo,

Laura

Shirt: Three Dots (similar style, similar style) | Vest: L.L. Bean | Jeans: AG Jeans | Boots: L.L. Bean | Socks: J. Crew | Beagle:  My own

Summer in Sonoma

My husband and I recently traveled to the west coast earlier this summer to experience wine country for the first time and let me just say we were not disappointed. The land was spectacular with mountains upon mountains and rolling hills littered with luscious green grape vines with the sun always shining down on them.  We were looking to travel somewhere to taste great wine and just enjoy the sunshine and some downtime by the pool.  We stayed in Sonoma, which is often referred to as slow-noma due to it being slightly more laid back than Napa, but still with unbelievable wines and views.  If anyone is ever thinking of making a trip to California, I strongly recommend spending a few days in Sonoma no matter what kind or how much wine you normally drink, you will not be sorry you stayed.  Tip-we did rent a car in San Francisco (best airport to fly in and out of, and it was so convenient to have our own car to explore the area and drive to Napa for the day as well).

Stay:

Kenwood Inn and Spa: We stayed here after me researching many, many hotels in Napa and Sonoma. We had previously thought of traveling to Italy this summer, but with time constraints it was not possible. Well enter Kenwood, a retreat that brings the feeling of Tuscany to Sonoma.  It is a beautiful inn with 30 rooms for adults only. The grounds are filled with greens and flowers and the scent of rosemary and lavender.  It is the perfect private retreat with luxurious rooms and spacious bathrooms. We were thrilled with our experience at the inn, and I will continue to highly recommend it to anyone staying in Sonoma. Tip-Kenwood is often featured on jetsetter.com where you can get great deals and discounts that include breakfast daily with your stay.

Eat:

St. Francis Winery: this winery does an amazing wine and food pairing at lunch time. This was something we had never done before, but I gained a much greater appreciation and knowledge for how the wine flavors do change with what you are eating. It is a beautiful setting (every winery is really) with great food, a great host and chef, and great wine.

Chateau St. Jean Winery: this winery is wonderful for a wine tasting, but before or after your tasting, grab lunch and eat in the most spectacular gardens. It was so peaceful and if you didn’t know you were in California you might think you were in the French countryside. Perfect combination in my eyes.

Glen Ellen Star-great restaurant in the quaint town of Glen Ellen, smaller menu, but the selections are just right and it is a great atmosphere. You may want to eat here more than one night!

Girl and the Fig-this restaurant is in downtown Sonoma and features a unique menu with delicious French inspired cuisine. Take your time at dinner and savor each bite. This place will not disappoint.

Wine:

Benziger-A spectacular winery that captures the essence of making wine and creating a simple farm setting a place you never want to leave. The winery is biodynamic so instead of spraying bad bugs that eat the vines, they bring in plants to attract good bugs, that get rid of the bad bugs-allowing nature to take its natural course. Take a tour of the winery and then sample their reserve collection in their wine caves-a truly memorable experience.

Matanzas-Great wine, but the main attraction here for me was the lavender gardens. As you are pulling up the drive way you instantly smell the aroma of lavender everywhere, which I loved. Enjoy strolling in the gardens and relaxing. The winery makes their own line of bath, home, and cooking products from their lavender and every product smells more heavenly than the next. 

Kunde-The view from the top of this winery is breathtaking. And that is where you will have your tasting if you visit Kunde. Imagine sipping life changing Chardonnay and heart warming reds all while over-looking hundreds of acres of vineyards and catching a glimpse of the bay and San Francisco. Before you go to Kunde, check out the movie Bottleshock, which used Kunde to film their vineyard scenes (the movie is on Netflix). You will not want to miss this place.

Explore:

Sugarloaf State Park-Beautiful park set up in the mountains of Sonoma. There are many trails to hike or run on for a quick 1, 3, or more mile jog.  We ventured to the mountain early one morning (East coast time still) and were able to experience the sunrise and all it’s beauty had to offer.

Downtown Sonoma-A beautiful place with a town square and huge park in the middle. There are so many boutique shops to explore and plenty more wine tasting venues on every corner. Go on a Tuesday night when the farmers market opens at 5:30 pm and families flock to the square to set up picnic blankets, grab fresh produce from the farmers, and open a bottle of wine. Live music plays and your evening just doesn’t get much more simple and perfect. 

If you are interested in taking a trip to wine country and would like more information please feel free to contact me, and I would be more than happy to share more travel tips and our adventures in Napa and San Francisco.

Xo,

Laura

Staycation

I have to admit, there are some days I look online at different locations around the world, feeling ready to pack my bag, kiss the fur babies farewell, and fly away. Believing the jet set life is just the fix I need and hoping it will be the next great adventure in my life. And then I realize I have five animals, a house, a job, only two days off, and was truly looking forward to sleeping in on Saturday morning. So what's a girl to do who has her heart set on a vacation, but wants to explore a new place?

The answer is a make my Saturday into a staycation.

Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to find a new area to visit I forget to realize we have so many great places within a short distance from my driveway. We all get the feeling of wanting and needing to get away, but for however many reasons know that it just won't happen. So instead of me being frustrated and disappointed, I decided to do my best and find and alternative solution.

I live about 45 minutes away from Clarks Summit, PA and decided it was just the right distance to feel far enough from home, but still make it back for my 10 o'clock bedtime. 

The first stop was actually in Dallas, PA at Bagel Art Bakery for fresh juices. Many people in the area may not know they offer fresh fruit and vegetable juices for an affordable price with no clean up and only deliciousness. They make a great green energy juice with spinach, kale, celery, and pears or one of my favorites with oranges, carrots, pineapple, and ginger. 

So we got our juices and took a beautiful scenic ride on the back roads to Clarks Summit and made our first stop at Carriage Barn Antiques. 

Outfit details: Theory sweater-similar styles found at Shooze, Kingston PA; Paige denim-similar styles found at Buka; Toms shoes-similar styles found at a Shoe Boutique

This antique store is a beautiful restored old barn with an eclectic mixture of home decorations including small treasures to dining room tables. Some of my favorite finds were a vintage typewriter from the 1940s, old suitcases that would be the perfect size to hold cards or photos for a wedding, and plenty of beautiful glass vases. My favorite find of the day though was a vintage roulette table from 1890 that we are still trying to create a space for in our home. It was in awesome condition with a little wear, but mainly resonating many nights of a good time and fun!

Our next stop was a local winery with a gorgeous view and fantastic wine. Maiolatesi Wine Cellars tasting room is located in Scott Township (about 5 minutes for Carriage Barn Antiques). They have their own private drive leading up to the winery.  Although it was a little chilly and gloomy outside the day we visited, the tasting room was very warm and inviting. The winery offers a wide range from awesome dry wines (we tried the reds) to sweeter fruit flavored wines. You can tell with each wine the different tastes and the hard work and care that went into making the wine. The owner has opened his talents and wine making skills to the public for over 15 years and it has flourished and grown into an awesome estate of passion, character, and most of all delicious wine. Going to Mailotesi's gives me a feeling of excitement to live so close to such a special business and a feeling of gratitude for someone willing and wanting to share their expertise with others. We left with a case of dry reds (the cabernet/merlot blend is mixed just right) and some really great sweeter wines-the Dolcetto is perfect when you want just a little sweetness to go with your pizza! We will definitely be back again soon to enjoy more wines and the beautiful deck with a picture perfect view, wine glass in hand. 

The beautiful wall of wine!

From left to right: Meritage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet/Merlot blend, Dolcetto, Coal Miner's Red, and Mint Sweet Tea

Our day ran longer than expected and we decided to enjoy our newly purchased wine with pizza at home. It was great to wake up the next morning in our own bed with a fresh cup of coffee and two snuggly dogs. 

So next time you need to get away, remember a staycation may just do the trick. Take a little extra time to take a look what is right outside your door and be grateful for where you live. I know I am lucky to live in an area where people are passionate about creating an environment that gets their community excited to be a part of it and enjoy all it has to offer!

Xo,

Laura