Monday, August 22, 2011

Napa Recap Take 1

A few months ago, Toly and I started to think about planning our vacation.  During this time, I remember it was cold, we were living with my parents, stressed about the house, and both unbelievably sick. The thought of a vacation was the only thing that got us through. 

We started brainstorming ideas and while mindlessly roaming around resorts in California on the internet one day, I came across an incredible deal for a 5 night stay in Sonoma (Napa Valley). 

It was too good to be true, and with a few clicks, we had booked our my dream vacation. 

Fast forward to last week and after months of waiting patiently, the time finally arrived. 

Day 1: August 13


The flight out was without flaw.  We were both too excited to be getting away to let the 5 hour plane ride bother us.


We landed in San Francisco, picked up our rental car, and hit the road north to Napa.


The resort we stayed at was gorgeous!  It was a branch of Marriott and was located just less than a mile from downtown Sonoma.




As soon as we checked in, they told us we had been upgraded to one of their cottage suites. Score! 





After we checked in and threw our stuff in our room, we both set out to grab dinner.  It had been hours since we ate and with a granola bar inspired lunch, real food was more than needed.

We drove downtown and practically walked into the first restaurant we saw.

The Red Grape 

This charming little pizza shop sat on the corner and revealed fresh scents of dough and wine from the outside.

I ordered the special pizza: Fig, Goat Cheese and Arugula.


Toly was more than happy to be eating.


After dinner, we walked down the street and grabbed fro-yo.

We don't have self-serve fro-yo in PA so this concept was entirely new to Toly.



 Needless to say, he was a fan.





 We ended our first night with a glass of wine in the cabana by the pool.  A perfect ending to a long day.


 The next morning, we awoke (early thanks to the time difference) and decided to make our way to breakfast at the hotel restaurant.

Day 2: August 14

As soon as we sat down, the waitress arrived with free samples.


I had the homemade granola with berries and soy milk.


Delightful.

Toly went with the french toast and let me steal a bite.  Quite delicious!



After breakfast, we decided to lay low all morning and play by the pool.




The morning was nice and relaxed and lead us right into a late day wine tasting adventure.


Our first stop was Gloria Ferrer.  This one came highly recommended from our hotel.  It's known for it's sparkling wine and incredible views of the valley.






Next stop, Jacuzzi.

I was first drawn by the olive oil tasting.


But in the end, the chocolate port shots was what won me over with this one.


Final stop for the day, Cline Cellars.



We ended up purchasing from each of these.  All of the wine out here was significantly better than any wine I've ever had.

Feeling a little tipsy at this point, we were ready for dinner.

I had read reviews for The Girl and the Fig and had this top of my list for places to try.

The Girl and the Fig



We started with a watermelon tomato salad to share and licked the plate.  The tomato was incredibly fresh and paired with the sweet watermelon, I couldn't have been more pleased.

For my entree, I choose the polenta with summer vegetable and a carrot puree.


Toly went with the sirloin burger.


Loved every single bite.  The Girl and the Fig was a pure delight.  The ambience, the food and the service were all top notch.

After dinner, we headed into Napa and walked around town for a few hours.


That was only two days and it feels like so much.  I have so many more wonderful things to share about this trip so stay tuned….


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