Happy 1st Birthday, Violet!

I decided to start this post off by creating a list of things I am proud of and not so proud of. Let's start with the positive!

Things I am proud of:

1. I made this beautiful little girl.. so proud of her.
2. I made those cupcakes... first time ever making frosting... so proud of me.
3. Despite the lack of photos (mommy was running around making sure kids stayed alive and people got to eat), it was a great part with lots of attention to details (candy cups, paper straws, pretty decorations... *sigh*)

Thing I am not so proud of:

1. It took me almost a year to post ONE photo... she's almost TWO!
2. I didn't take more photos of the day. There are some, but not a lot... (Thank you Stacy for picking up the camera and capturing the chaos of the gift unwrapping.)

But seriously... look at that cupcake (oh and the baby)!





Wino Support

This past June I was lucky enough to be in the San Francisco area for a work event. The event was on a Saturday and my boss and I had booked  red eye flight home on Sunday. That gave us an entire free day to explore the area before heading home. I have never been to San Francisco and the original plan was to explore the pier, try to book a ferry to Alcatraz, see the famous "painted ladies"... but that was not to be. The San Francisco marathon was taking place day - bringing with it throngs of runner and spectators. Anyone who knows me, know I do not do well in lines or in large crowds, so the thought of elbowing my ways through the over crowded streets was enough to make me a little dizzy. Fortunately, Napa Valley is a quick 2-hour drive away. My boss and I decided a quiet drive through picturesque landscapes was much preferable to the alternative. 

On the way to check out of my hotel, I passed a rack of area travel brochures. Sure enough there were vineyard tours a plenty. The one that caught my eye was Castello di Amorosa. It is a medieval replica castle surrounded by acres upon acres of vineyards and gardens galore. 

The winery offers standard tours and tasting but for just $10 more, we opted for the tour and upgraded reserve tastings. I mean who wants to taste the table wine, when one can indulge in the good stuff most of wouldn't actually purchase due the sheer bottle cost? Not me. 

What a great vineyard - not only is the wine delicious - but the castle is impressive in it's hommage to medieval architecture. I ended up with a membership to it's wine club - you can't buy the wine anywhere else except for the vineyard! So far, I have received (much to the chagrin of Eric) two shipments of gorgeous reds. I have opened a couple of bottles, but I am saving the higher end ones for a special occasion.. like a Friday.

 

I got distracted by the architecture and beauty of the vineyard (not to mention the tasting), so I only really took a few images while I was visiting, but if you are ever in the area - you should check it out!