The Rich Life on the Go

Seven for Saturday

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Seven for Saturday is back! At least this week it is. I can’t promise a weekly Seven for Saturday  posts but I will do them when time allows. They are such fun posts to put together!

Here’s what has been going on around here lately:

1 ~ Cruise Planning

These days I spend most of my free time dreaming about our upcoming cruise, researching our destinations, making lists of things to do and see, shopping for clothes, planning my travel wardrobe and imagining all the fun adventures we will have.

Friends and followers have been so very helpful with tips about cruising, suggestions for what to see and do at our ports and more. I am so grateful for the information!

I hope you don’t mind my indulgence in showing you our over-the-top gorgeous and opulent ship, the Regent Seven Seas Explorer. I am just so excited about it, I want to tell everyone!

I found this video yesterday from Cruise Critic that shows some of the highlights Explorer has to offer. I have to pinch myself often. It’s hard to believe that we are spending 10 nights on this beauty!

2 ~ New Luggage

After we booked our cruise we knew we needed to replace our worn out luggage. From broken zippers to frayed trim, battered wheels, and even frames that were starting to sag, these suitcases were beyond help and ready to be tossed. I could not imagine boarding a luxury cruise ship dragging these sad bags behind me.

So I went about doing my luggage research to find a new set for us. Things to consider were price point, color, size, quality, material and durability. We thought we might like to try the hard sided suitcases but the brands we preferred were out of our price range.

Ultimately we decided to stick with soft sided luggage and bought four pieces of Hartmann on sale at Macy’s for about 65% off (I checked and they’re still on sale!).

We bought 2 medium (25″) and 2 large (29″). The suitcase pictured is the medium.

We are pleased with the appearance and quality of our suitcases. They are very lightweight too. We think they will last us a good long time.

Since they are black, I had to do something to set them apart from all the other millions of black bags you see at the airport. I looked at straps, plastic luggage tags, even tying a brightly colored scarf around the handle and then I found these clever little things.

Not only are they ID tags but they help make your bag stand out in a crowd and they provide a little extra padding on your suitcase’s handle. The velcro is super strong so I think they will survive the tossing around and they look cute!

3 ~ Broken Toe

Ugh! I am almost certain I broke my pinky toe Thursday morning. I was stripping the bed to wash sheets and I rammed into the corner of the bed frame. The pain was intense and long-lasting. A few hours in and it started to turn black and blue. I iced it a few times with frozen peas which seemed to help a bit. I also taped that toe to its neighbor but now, with the swelling, that isn’t tolerable.

So I guess I will be hobbling around for awhile but if I had to pick a bone to break it would be my pinky toe. It should heal in time for the cruise if I can stop re-stubbing it on things (that is the worst!!). There will be no close-toed shoes for me for awhile. I am bound to the only shoes that fit – my super comfortable Gizah Birkenstocks – until it heals. Good thing it’s not the middle of winter!

Have you ever broken a toe?

4 ~ Retirement Update

We are almost six months into Bill’s retirement and we’re finally getting used to it. It’s actually feeling normal!

Bill is 90% complete with the interior paint project, vowing to never do it himself again. When he’s not painting or working on some yard project, he and his brothers are busy clearing out their father’s home, about an hour away. What a long, hard process that has been for them.

While Bill is busy with his numerous endeavors, I have been using our home gym 5 to 7 times per week. I love my reformer and have gotten quite good at Pilates. I joke that I have a six-pack now, you just can’t see it because it’s under many layers of menopause fat. I am stronger and more flexible than I have been since my 30s. I very rarely have lower back pain and that has been such a gift as I suffered for many years. The reformer has truly been a life and body changer for me.

We love the freedom retirement has given us. Not having to wake up at a certain time every day, making travel plans without using up vacation time or asking for permission, and being more spontaneous are just a few of the aspects of retirement I love. We are grateful daily!

Since we are still young, as retirees go – I am almost 51 and Bill is 53 – we suspect we will want to have new careers in the future. Maybe that venture will be something we do as a couple or maybe Bill will find his own post-retirement career as I continue to blog and freelance write. I also toss around the idea of becoming a certified Pilates instructor. Who knows? We aren’t making decisions on any of that until 2019. Instead we’re allowing ourselves to travel, sleep in if we want to and just enjoy life!

5 ~ Checking the Beauty Boxes

Getting ready for a dream trip, at least for me, means getting beautified. My hair appointment pre-cruise is booked. I will get a manicure and a pedicure just before we leave and I am making sure I have the right makeup and plenty of of my skin care products. I also got a Botox treatment, timed to last through the duration of the cruise and beyond.

I had my first Botox treatment ever at Plastic Surgery Associates in Santa Rosa earlier this year and loved it. You can read about that experience here.

I went back for two more treatments, then life got busy and I went without for a few months. When my friends at PSA contacted me about visiting their new Novato location for a Botox treatment, I leapt at the chance. It was already on my beauty to-do list.

I missed getting Botox but perhaps not for the reasons you would expect. When I didn’t do it for a few months I didn’t really miss looking younger and having fewer wrinkles on my forehead. What I missed was not furrowing my brow all the time and frowning. Bill often asks me why I am upset when nothing whatsoever is wrong.

I also love how Botox, when injected in the right places, evens out my eyebrows and gives me better symmetry. My left brow is naturally higher than my right. By adding Botox just above the lower brow, it lifts up.

It takes 3 to 10 days for Botox to start doing its thing. I will be sure to take an “after” photo so you can see the difference but this was me yesterday moments after getting the injections. You can see how high that brow is 🤔

Melinda, a Nurse Practitioner, did my injections at the Novato location. She also sees clients/patients in Santa Rosa as well. She is fantastic! I highly recommend her and Kirsty, who I went to for my previous injections in Santa Rosa, too.

6 ~ Autumn is here in Wine Country

For the first time in several years, October feels and looks like October should feel and look around here! During our drought, we would have awful dry, hot, windy weather in October. In fact, October 8th is when last year’s fires began. Fall wouldn’t really show up until November and by early October you would be hard pressed to find a cluster of grapes still on the vines.

This year, however, we’ve had cool and crisp weather, some decent amounts of rain, and there are lots of grapes still hanging on the vines! Everything is so lush and green.

Last weekend we went with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law – Rob and Debbie – to a wine pick-up party at Beltane Ranch.

It took place in Beltane’s garden and was such fun! We got to pick our own produce while sipping wine and chatting with fellow wine club members.

It was a treat to dress in fall clothes for a change. Debbie and I wore some wool hats of mine that are water resistant so we were fine during the brief rainfall that we had during the party.

Fall really is here and I couldn’t be happier about it!

7 ~ Channel Islands Bound!

Next week Bill and I will be headed down south to the Channel Islands to stay on a boat with some longtime friends.

I have never been to the Channel Islands and can’t wait to visit Catalina! Bill bought a new dive suit and is planning to SCUBA dive and look for lobsters.

Depending on my toe situation, I am going to try paddle boarding and hopefully go on some kayaking adventures. I plan to eat lots of seafood, take photos, maybe read a couple books and hang out with our good friends.

The night before we board the ferry to Avalon, we are staying at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Our autumn is becoming all about boats!

Have you been to the Channel Islands or visited the Queen Mary?

Have a great weekend!

Adrienne

Disclaimer: My Botox treatment at Plastic Surgery Associates was complimentary in exchange for social media posts. My opinions about Plastic Surgery Associates and Botox are 100% my own (love them both!). 

The Year That Was and a Dream Trip

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It is hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since the fires devastated our region. So much has happened since October 8th, 2017. Yet it seems not that long ago I left our home for 11 days with my stepdaughter and four dogs, not knowing if we would ever see our house standing again. When I think about that time and all that’s happened since, I often need to take a long and deep breath.

Since the fires (both the wine country fires and the fires in Southern California that quickly followed) my husband retired from his 34-year career in the fire service, his father passed away, two of his three children were married, his youngest daughter moved out of our house – and out of the state – leaving us empty nesters and I turned 50. It’s been quite a year. I can’t recall ever experiencing more change in such a short period.

I am more than grateful our home survived the fires. So many wine country residents cannot say the same, sadly, and lots of people continue to have difficulties rebuilding their homes and their lives.

Bill’s eldest daughter and her husband have been able to settle into their new home and their new life as a married couple since losing their home and most of its contents to the fires. That has been relief and a gift for our family. Also, I am abundantly thankful Bill has retired and therefore doesn’t spend days on end during our lengthy fire season, working to exhaustion in smoky, toxic and dangerous conditions.

Today is the first day of October, an important month to me as my birthday and both of my parents’ birthdays are in October, and it’s the month Bill and I were married. Of course it’s also when the fires occurred and when so many things began to shift and change and churn over the last twelve months.

As I approach 51,  my urge to write, share and be creative has returned, so here I am! Rather than try to figure out where to begin with the sharing part, I will just get right to it with what’s dominating my thoughts these days. But first, a little background.

Last year, Bill and I planned to celebrate my 50th birthday in France, leaving on October 11th, but we canceled our trip because of the fires. Although I didn’t want to rebook the trip, Bill convinced me and eventually I came around to the idea. I started planning and dreaming and considering lots of options. After much research, discussion and lots of help from a fantastic travel expert, Adam Martindale of Martindale Travel & Tours, we decided to go on a dreamy Mediterranean cruise to re-celebrate my 50th birthday, my 51st and, most importantly, celebrate and commemorate Bill’s retirement from Santa Rosa Fire Department.

We leave in early November and head to Barcelona for a couple days before we board the ship. We have never been to Spain and I am excited to explore parts of this magical country. Our cruise is 10 nights in duration and at the end, we disembark in Rome where we will stay for a couple of days before heading home.

Lately my thoughts are filled with either dreaming about what we will see and do or figuring out what we both will wear on the ship. We are loyal blue jeans people and I personally live in Birkenstocks. Our cruise line asks that passengers to dress up a bit. They don’t require or expect black tie but jeans are not really allowed after 6 pm.

I have already found some great pants for Bill. Next we will look for a blazer for him. Wearing a uniform for over three decades does not make for much of a dressed up wardrobe.

My searches focus on black pants, a couple of dresses, shoes that are both comfortable and stylish, and blouses/tunics. Also on my mind is how I will avoid gaining 20 pounds eating all that fabulous food on our ship.

Our stateroom looks lovely and spacious and the excursions we reserved sound interesting and exciting. On our one day at sea, we booked a cooking class. Our ship has a culinary department and we will taking a class on cooking seafood! Oh, and spa treatments are on the agenda too.

This will be our first cruise ever and it’s sure to be a trip of a lifetime for us. We have been to Rome before but many of the other destinations our cruise is taking us to are firsts for us.

Any advice on cruising in general, and visiting Spain, Malta, South of France, Pompeii, and Monaco are appreciated!

I hope you’ve all been well. Happy October!

Adrienne

August at Home

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While the month of July was all about travel, the month of August is, with a few exceptions, about being home.

Since the start of August, we’ve spent our days working on various house projects. For the last week and a half Bill has been painting the living room, hall way and our gym (also known as our old formal dining room).

I helped a tiny bit but we found that my time was better spent lightening the inventory of our home. I went through my closet and drawers, the medicine cabinet, most of the kitchen, and our office – tossing, donating and reorganizing things.

As you can see, our home is in a state of disarray while we work on our projects. But the end is in sight and things will be back to normal by month’s end.

In early August we worked on our front yard. We ripped out dozens of plants that had seen better days. We had 12 year-old society garlic growing between the dozen or so crape myrtles that line our driveway.

One the side pictured below, the society garlic was still pretty healthy. But the side where the lawn is was a different story. In order to keep the symmetry, they all had to go.

We also removed some scraggly looking rhododendrons, azaleas, Santa Barbara daisies and a few others plants. We trimmed up our rose bushes, dogwood trees and took a few limbs off a Japanese maple that was blocking our vineyard view.

Soon we will have new tan bark put in, then next spring we will replant some bushes, flowers and grasses. It looks a bit barren to me right now but we both think it best to wait until next year to replant. We want to do our research and really take our time making the right choices.

The interior paint should be done by the end of this month or early next. Then we’re going to most likely have the exterior of the house painted by a professional.

We go round and round about colors for the exterior. I am leaning toward white with black trim but Bill would prefer a color similar to what we have which is a light yellowish beige with white trim and black accents. It’s such a big decision to make!

 

 

So what does it mean when you have pleasant dreams about your exercise equipment? I guess it means you’ve found the exercise regimen for you! I am so crazy about our reformer that I have to make myself take days off.

I really overdid it the first couple of weeks we had it. I ended up hurting my back. I am all better now, thankfully, and I learned my lesson. I listen to my body telling me to rest rather than my brain telling me to hop on the reformer for another session.

To help support my lower back I bought an inflated wedge from the company I bought my reformer from. I tried it a few days ago and it helps ease strain on my back so much! This wedge can also be used on a mat. It’s not just for reformers.

I am going to rely on the wedge whenever my back is feeling a little wonky. I usually just push through the pain but that never ends well.

Other than the back issues, I feel stronger, more flexible and more toned than I have in years which is also helping my confidence. I believe Pilates will be the key to being strong, mobile, and energetic throughout my 50s, 60s and beyond. I have yet to convince Bill to try it but he’s open to the idea. Maybe after all these home improvement projects wrap up I’ll get to teach him how to use it.

So that is what we’ve been up to so far this month. We hadn’t planned on taking any trips but that all changed yesterday when we decided to take a break from painting, organizing and purging to visit Tori, Bill’s youngest daughter. She is in Carmel for a few days, visiting her maternal grandmother, uncles and aunts.

Since we don’t know when we will get a chance to see Tori again this year, we thought we’d pop down to Carmel to see her. It’s a three hour drive to Carmel whereas it takes over 10 hours to get to her house on the Oregon coast.

Other late August plans include a visit from my dear friend and her husband who live in Las Vegas. Our newly redecorated guest room is all ready for their visit. I am so excited to see them!

I made some fun and tasty plans for the four of us. We are going to stay close to home since their stay is pretty short – just two nights. There are so many things to do and see here in Sonoma Valley, it’ll be easy to stay entertained!

Before we know it, August will be behind us as will summer. The summer season has been wonderful this year but I am ready for autumn to arrive. We are probably still a good 8 weeks away from real fall weather here in wine country though so I’ll leave my boots, jackets and scarves in storage for now.  Are you excited for fall to arrive too?

Thanks for stopping by!

XO,

Adrienne

A Month of Travel

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Hello!

Oh boy, what a terrible blogger I am announcing in June that I have returned to blogging, write one post then disappear for over a month.

My husband and I traveled so much in July – some planned, some unexpected – I think we only slept in our bed 6 or 7 nights all month.

In early July we went away with a group of friends to a ranch in Cloverdale for a couple nights for the July 4th holiday. It’s a gorgeous property, owned by the family of one of our friends. The six of us – three couples – had such a fun time and made some wonderful memories.

Two days after coming home from Cloverdale, we were off again. This time we traveled to North Carolina for 10 days to see my mother and her husband. They live on a big lake so we went out on their patio boat almost every day, played with their adorable dogs and just relaxed! I ate all my southern food favorites including grits, country ham and turnip greens.

It had been such a long time since I had seen my mother. It makes me sad we live so far apart but I have a full heart now that we had a long and wonderful visit. I plan to visit at least once a year from now on. In fact, we’re considering another visit this fall.

One day after returning from North Carolina, we were invited to spend the weekend with Bill’s best friend (who introduced Bill and me back in 1998) and his wife and another couple at a vineyard cottage on a winery’s property in Napa Valley. Although I planned to do household things, run errands and pack for our next trip that weekend, we could not pass up the offer to spend time with them. We haven’t seen these friends in such a long time and we always enjoy their company.

We came home at the end of the weekend away in Napa Valley, packed our bags and got back on the road early the next morning to drive to Oregon. My stepdaughter Tori moved to the Oregon Coast at the end of 2017 to start her new life with her boyfriend, Joe. With her two siblings each getting married and her grandfather passing away this year, we have seen quite a bit of Tori here in California but we had yet to see where she lives.

Tori is currently earning her master’s degree in special education and had a light schedule in late July so we thought it would be the best time to visit. We spent a week in Oregon and had a lovely time with Tori, Joe and his family. Along with visiting some spots along the Oregon Coast, Bill and I also took a couple of days to see Ashland and Eugene.

After all that traveling we missed being home and plan to stay put for the next month or two – maybe longer. Since we returned home a week ago, Bill has resumed painting the interior of our home while I am working on the never-ending project of decluttering and organizing the house.

While we were traveling, our friend and artist Nora Russo worked on our fireplace wall by re-plastering and painting it. Nora plastered and painted it, then added some fruit and vines, about 14 years ago. We loved it for many years but recently we decided we wanted something simpler and lighter to brighten up the den. Here is how the wall was for 14 years:

And here is how it is now. I love it!

At some point we will add a painting or something above the mantle. But for now, I am enjoying the simplicity of this look.

When I do get on my laptop it hasn’t been to blog, as you can tell. I mostly look at Pinterest for ideas for our backyard redo and color palates for when it comes time to paint the exterior of our house. I also search online for a new bedroom set for one of our guest rooms.

So while July was all about travel, this month will be about home improvement projects, checking a few to-dos off the list like getting a Real ID and having my first colonoscopy (eek!). We just got a top notch Pilates reformer so I spend at least an hour in our home gym everyday. I am in love with it! I am hoping I can get Bill to use it too.

Thanks for letting me share my travel stories with you.

Hope you all had a great July!

What plans do you have for August?

Adrienne

Seven for Saturday

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Happy Saturday!

For my first Seven for Saturday post since the end of March, I thought I’d share 7 noteworthy things that happened during my blog break.

1 ~ Kayla and Forest Got Married!

Kayla, Bill’s oldest daughter, and her longtime boyfriend, Forest, tied the knot in early June in Cloverdale. What a wonderful, unique and fun-filled wedding! What was unique about it was its location on top of a mountain at a gorgeous, secluded and hard to reach 600+ acre ranch. The drive to get to the wedding was straight up on a one lane, very curvy road and it took 30 to 35 minutes to get to the site. Such a special place.

Photo by Jessie Holman Photography

Bill and I arrived Wednesday to settle into our hotel room at Geyserville Inn and relax a little bit before we went up to the ranch to help set up the following day.

Kayla and Forest invited 180 people to the wedding so there was much to do in preparation. I won’t bore you with all of that stuff but I will say we all got quite the workout and the suntans in the days leading up to the main event. Who knew assembling chairs in rows could be so complicated and sweaty?

The ceremony itself was just so lovely and touching. They wrote their own vows and chose such a scenic setting to exchange them.

After they were declared husband and wife, the big party began. We had so much fun! It was a blast of a wedding – dancing, mingling, laughing and just having the time of our lives. I wish we could do the wedding day all over again.

Photo by Jessie Holman Photography
Photo by Jessie Holman Photography

I couldn’t help but tear up during the father-daughter dance. Kayla picked out the song she wanted played for this very moment many, many years ago when she was a teen of about 16. It’s called Cinderella. Whenever she heard it on the radio as a kid, she would always say, “This is the song I am going to dance with Dad to at my wedding.”

As mothers and stepmothers often do when their kids marry, I really fretted over what to wear to the wedding. I knew it would be hot but I wanted to wear a maxi dress even though a tea length would have been a cooler option. I must have ordered 25 dresses before I settled on this one.

Until Kayla and Forest get all their photos back from the photographer, I only have this one picture showing my dress. The photo is pretty blurry but I love seeing all these Shubin gals together.

As you can see, it’s sleeveless, and floral print. It was very light and not hot at all. I love the empire waist and little ruffles at the shoulder.

From L to R: Haley (Ryan’s wife), me, Tori, Jennifer (niece), Hayley (niece), Debbie (sister-in-law), Danielle (nephew’s fiancee)

Hopefully we’ll get more photos from the wedding that I can share with you. It truly was such a wonderful wedding. Bill and I are so thrilled to have Forest as a son-in-law and couldn’t be happier for the newlyweds!

2 ~ Camping in Bodega Bay

Back in May we had the opportunity to borrow Bill’s younger brother’s fifth wheel trailer while he and his wife were out of town. As I mentioned in my last post, Bill and I are thinking about getting an RV and were curious about fifth wheels. Borrowing Rob and Debbie’s was a way to testdrive one, so to speak, and see if it’s something we want for ourselves.

It was a great to get away but ten days is a long time to be in one spot. I admit to being a bit restless on more than a few occasions. Foggy days that brought strong winds and chilly temps didn’t help much. But I will tell you, when the sun shines in Bodega Bay, it’s gorgeous! We hiked whenever the sun the came out and a couple times when it didn’t.

One day during our camping trip, Bill went ocean fishing with a friend who owns a couple charter fishing boats that are docked in Bodega Bay. They had a successful outing and Bill brought back a LOT of fish and crab. It was awesome! I still have some fish in our freezer.

We are still up in the air about getting a fifth wheel. Cramming us and four dogs into a pickup truck and driving for long periods does not sound appealing to me. But once you’re all set up in your spot, fifth wheels are fantastic and so roomy. So we’ll see!

3 ~ Pismo Beach Trip

Haley and Ryan, Bill’s son, were married in early April in Cambria on California’s Central Coast. We decided in early June to head down the coast to visit them and tour the area a bit.

We stayed at the most wonderful hotel in Shell Beach, right next to Pismo. Inn at the Cove is our new favorite place to stay when visiting the Central Coast. And it’s dog friendly so we were able to bring our two little dogs with us for small fee.

The view from our balcony at Inn at the Cove

We took lots of walks, visited Pismo and nearby Oceano Dunes, looked at RVs, spent time with Haley’s family and ate lots of good food.

We also logged in quite a bit of time on our ocean view balcony, watching the pelicans – there are tens of thousands of them in that area – seagulls, seals, and even bunnies!

I always say that I could live on the Central Coast when I visit that area and I am not kidding! It’s just so laid back and beautiful. I doubt we will actually ever move there but taking an RV to the Central Coast for an extended period might be a possibility someday.

4 ~ New Fences

We are beyond grateful we didn’t lose our house in last fall’s wine country fires. The only things that were destroyed were our fences in the backyard. The fierce winds we had the night the fires began took them down. After seven months, we finally had new fences built and they look so great!

They are taller than the old ones by over a foot and they’re made of beautiful redwood. We love them! It’s motivated us to start thinking about other ways to improve the appearance of our backyard.

5 ~ TIPS Roadside in Kenwood is Open for Business

In my last Seven for Saturday, I shared some photos from our fun experience being menu taste testers for our friends Susie and Andrew who own Tri Tip Trolley and now their new restaurant, TIPS Roadside.

When we attended the test dinner, the dry wall wasn’t up yet. Fast forward three months and they are open for business and we are thrilled! It’s so close to our house, we could walk there in about 5 to 10 minutes.

They have been open for a few weeks – since the beginning of June – and we have already been for dinner 6 times!

We love the atmosphere, décor and the food! We are always welcomed by the staff with big smiles and fantastic service. My favorite dishes lately are the tater tots and tri tip cubes with 3 dipping sauces.

If you’re local or planning a visit to Sonoma County, be sure to follow TIPS Roadside on Instagram to stay up to date with their latest news.

6 ~ Medlock Ames Bell Mountain Ranch Tour

Bill and I were invited to Medlock Ames to take their Bell Mountain Ranch Tour. Located in Alexander Valley, near the charming town of Healdsburg, Medlock Ames has a tasting room on the outskirts of Healdsburg and a 338-acre ranch several miles from there.

We visited the former which is known as Bell Mountain Ranch. We took a group tour which was led by Chelsea, our friendly, knowledgeable, interesting and effervescent guide.

Chelsea first gave us a small glass of their 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, which is estate grown like all their wines. Then we were off to explore the ranch with her. We visited the olive grove, the huge one acre vegetable garden, and the original Merlot vineyard that was on the property when Chris James and Ames Morison purchased the ranch in 1998.

Chelsea told us the ranch is solar powered and that all wine grapes, fruits and vegetables – including olives – are certified organic. That’s my kind of winery!

Once our walking tour around the property concluded, we were taken to the fermentation room. I have been on many, many wine tours and I must say, Chelsea explained the grape fermentation process better than anyone!

Our tour concluded with a lovely seated tasting where we were treated to a wine tasting of four other wines that were each paired with local cheeses and wonderful jams made with fruit from the ranch.

Bill and I decided to buy a few bottles to take home, along with a bottle of their estate olive oil.

I highly recommend the Bell Mountain Ranch Tour at Medlock Ames. It was one of the most informative and interesting wine tours I have taken. The property is gorgeous and the wine is delicious and the tour is only $40 per person.

Visit the Medlock Ames website for more info and to schedule your tour.

7 ~ Bill’s Birthday

Bill celebrated a birthday last week and while he said he just wanted to go out to dinner, I had other ideas. I convinced him to take a birthday trip to Lake Tahoe and booked three nights at Hyatt Lake Tahoe at Incline Village.

It has a beach, a fabulous restaurant called Lone Eagle Grille that is has gorgeous views of the lake, and nice big rooms. We upgraded to a family suite and invited Bill’s brother, Rob and his wife, Debbie to join us. We had a total blast! I splurged and got us all a lakeside beach cabana for Bill’s actual birthday.

He and his brother also rented paddleboards for an hour while my sister-in-law and I floated in the water in pool floaties. It was one of the best trips and non-stop fun. Bill was sure happy we turned his birthday into a three day celebration!

Enjoy your weekend!

 

Disclosure: Our two tickets for the Bell Mountain Ranch Tour were complimentary. All opinions expressed here are my own, as always. 

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