Do Napa Valley Right

Just in time for Valentine's Day.

A few weekends ago we enjoyed some much needed R&R in über romantic Napa Valley. We stayed and played in the cozy town of Calistoga. Here's a play-by-play of how we did Napa Valley right.

Relaxin' at the Solage Calistoga spa and resort.  Complimentary pilates and yoga classes that kicks your butt in the AM and convertible Mercedes options to drive around town in the PM - yes, please. We also couldn't miss out on the must-eat-at and be-seen-at Solbar.  Their inventive menu offered healthy spa options from local organic farms. Definitely yummy.

Cruisin' around town on beach cruisers. Its the best way to wine taste and get around town.

Explorin' the local vineyards of Calistoga. The valley is beautiful, even in the winter time.

Sippin' at our favorite wineries in Calistoga and St. Helena. Our favorites: Duckhorn (Three Palms Vineyard Merlot) and Rombauer (Zinfandel). 

Noshin' at Dean & Deluca in St. Helena. Forget Yountville and the French Laundry. Instead, we snacked on the local goods from Dean & Deluca's artisan market: freshly baked Bouchon baguettes, olives, honey and dried fig compote (from our favorite Sonoma restaurant The Girl and The Fig).  

Shoppin' for fine gourmet oils and savories at Olivier in downtown St. Helena. This local store sells delicious olive oils that you can bottle yourself. So fun! These bottled oils made great souvenirs for our friends and family back home.

Our custom mantel & the epic find

Lately the progress of our home improvement projects has been at at standstill.  We moved in 6 months ago and I thought we would have checked off more boxes from our gigantismo to-do-list.  But many of our rooms are still unfurnished, the landscaping is non-existent, and the major guest bath remodel keeps being pushed further and further down the do-to-list. With the New Year we've found a renewed focus.  This weekend we checked off two major items: the mantel and dining room table. 

I designed the mantel and we found a carpenter that was able to build it from my sketches. Big shout out to my mom and her boyfriend who graciously transported the behemoth to our house - it wasn't about to fit in the CR-V. The mantel still needs to be painted and installed, but I'm already in love with it. Thanks mom!

Our custom mantel

Then, while tagging along on a shopping trip, we happened upon an epic find. You know the type- a find so perfectly impossible that walking away from it is not option. Thinking we were just going to engage in some harmless window shopping we quickly popped into a Restoration Hardware Outlet and found this beauty: The Turner Extension Dining Table. Originally $2,695, it was on sale for $139. Needless to say it came home with mama that same day. The table was so heavy that the labor to transport it probably cost more than what we paid for the table itself.  Epic. Find.

Our RH Turner Extension Dining Table

Holiday ReWind

Our Christmas and New Year holidays were wonderfully jam-packed. We spent the Christmas holiday at home with friends, in the kitchen baking Happy Holiday Honey Scones, and on the road visiting family scattered across California. For New Years Eve we headed back home to host a low-key weekend with family consisting of ice skating and the obligatory trip to the beach to dine at Malibu Seafood Fish Market. We topped off the fun with spicy bloody mary cocktails and homemade chicken empanadas to ring in the New Year.  Delicious!

Pura Miel Honey

Holiday Party

My Favorite Things

It was my birthday a few days ago and my dear Husband surprised me with some of my favorites:

it was the best!

85°F in December

Even in sunny SoCal, the warm weather this weekend surprised the most native of Angelenos. With the temps soaring we were in desperate need of some winter merriment. So we headed to the local ice skating rink for some family fun. For my nephew's first time, the little guy took to the ice extremely well! Like a duck to water (with a little help from his auntie).