Today was all about living in the moment. I had no concern for tomorrow, yesterday. Only my 5 senses and the beauty of life. Le sigh. It was wonderful.
We started our tour of wine country in Jackson Park Vineyards on top of a mountain. Stunning.
Adam, Jenna‘s friend and fellow Murphy-Goode contestant and Social Media Director for Jackson Family Wines, was our tour guide and photographer for the day. He is a pro at both and is totally cool 😉
We came down to explore the lavender fields of Matanzas Creek Winery. I LOVE lavender and couldn’t get enough of the heavenly smell!!
Of course nothing goes well with lavender like wine :mgreen:
Chris from Matanzas led us through a flight of their finest. From Sauv Blanc to Chard to Pinot, Merlot and finally a Cab. I think it was a tie between the Chard and Cab. Both were right up my alley – lot of flavor and body without overwhelming characteristics and perfectly balanced of the best of both grapes.
Chris hooked us up with some lavender goodie bags. I heart lavender!
We also had a selection of cheeses to pair with the wines. As a cheese lover, I was one who finished my plate and called it lunch!
The next stop on our tour was Arrowood Winery.
More delicious wines were poured. Viognier, Gewurstraminer, Chard, Syrah, Cab. My favorite was the peppery Syrah – lush and fruitful!
We nibbled on breadsticks throughout – more lunch!
By the time we left around 4PM we were all ready for lunch….er dinner!?!? We made our way to the girl & the fig!!! Matt and I ate there on the first night of our wine country honeymoon!!
Newlywed…..
Now….
Matt and ate at the far table to the left!
Here I am then!
Cheese!
We dined out on the patio, which was so gorg and turned out to be SO COLD!
I decided to be authentic and ordered the fig cocktail:
Bread basket 😉
Devoured
We got a selection of apps for dinner
A goat cheese plate with a fig cake, fruit compote and meats
Frites
And a pork belly!?
I had bites of each.
For dinner I had the ‘salad of the season’ – pumpkin seeds + dates!
It wasn’t very big, but it was all I needed.
We decided to move to a warm spot for desserts and went across the street to El Durado Kitchen
For the 6 of us we split 3 desserts. We couldn’t decide!! Being foodies, we maximized taste 🙂
Creme Brulee
Pumpkin + Apple Pies
And a S’mores Graham Torte!
We’re currently at Adam‘s hanging out a bit – might have just a taste of wine since there are so many amazing bottles all around – and then Jenna and I are headed up to her house in Healdsburg to get cozy. I’m so tired!!
What a magnificent day!! For more photos taken by Adam, visit the Flickr photo stream from the day!!
Anna says
I love your earrings.
Looks like a fantastic day.
Sheila says
I sat in the very same seat at The Girl restaurant the last time I was in Sonoma. Isn’t that funny?
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
Oh my, gorgeous pics. Especially love the one of the red wine flow caught midstream!! 🙂
Jenn
Diana says
That place is amazing! Glad you had a good weekend. 🙂
christie @ honoring health says
Wow, looks like you had a weekend filled with amazing moments! Everything looks awesome.
Katy @ These Beautiful Feet says
My husband and I spent our honeymoon in wine country as well! We never ate at The Girl & The Fig but now I wish we would have! 🙂 It looks incredible. The one thing I love about wine country is the breathtaking views of the vines and I am so glad you captured some of that. My camera barely did it justice! Beautiful weekend!
Chelsea (Chelsea's Chew and Run Fun) says
I was just admiring Jenna’s post about the day. It’s nice to see such each person’s lovely collection of pictures that captured what I would imagine to be a spectacular day! Must be fun to revisit the setting of your Honeymoon. 🙂
Susan says
Goooorgeous photos Kath!! Although, it always looks so beautiful there, it would probably be hard to take a bad photo 😉
Stacey says
Nom nom nom. I totally want to eat my screen right now! Have a wonderful day 😀 Loving the pics!
Morgan @ Life After Bagels says
that’s a super cute name for a restauraunt . . . the girl and the fig!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
Wow Kath… everything is just breathtaking! What a gorgeous area! And the people you met all seem so welcoming and friendly. Such an amazing experience. 🙂
Amelia says
Oh my goodness! Everything looks so amazing. What an incredible trip! 🙂
sarah (ghost world) says
girl and the fig!!! we were there this may. LOVED IT too!
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
What beautiful pictures!!
Abby (Abbys Vegan Eats) says
beautiful pics! it seems like an amazing time.. its crazy how wonderful a simple piece of rustic bread can look!! 🙂
Paige(Running Around Normal) says
Your pictures are absolutly stunning! That’s so great you were so easily able to be in the moment – even though it was your last day there. How wondeful.
Kasey @ Fit For Wellness says
Your pictures are awesome!!!
Light Delight with Tou Tou says
that was a gorgeous day with all your bright smile friends! those girls photos just make me feel the life is so beautiful!!!! So glad you share this with us!
I love the wine taste trip (always). and I love that S’mores torte!!!! looks so delicate!
thepinkpeppercorn says
WOW WOW WOW and WOW; definitely a magnificent day!!!
nic says
Your pictures are just stunning!!! Glad to read you had a great time!!!
Wish I could have been there!!! Maybe sometime in the future I might time my holiday on a ‘food-event’ just so I can meet you all!! 😉
Have a great day and as I wrote in Jenna’s blog, take a look at my blog…. Mentioned you in the first few lines!! 😉
Btw CONGRATS a little late FOR THE AWARD!! You totally deserve it!!
Caitlin says
Wow-what a fabulous weekend it looks like you had! Thank you so much for sharing it all with us so we can live vicariously through you!! 🙂
I just have to say that I love your photos. There are so many great food blogs out there, but I just think your photos are excellent!
Deva (Voracious Vorilee) says
Such wonderful photos – you really make me feel like I am there. I would love to go to wine country, and return to San Francisco as wel – it’s my favorite city – so many lovely thing to do and to see, along with lots of delicious food!
Ashley says
Gosh I miss Sonomaland SO bad!
Me thinks my next vacation shall be over yonder! There ain’t nothing like NorCal!
AnnQ says
OMG, everything looks amazing! 🙂
Madeline @ Greens and Jeans says
“Jealous” is just the tip of the iceberg! Also, your earrings are gorgeous! Where are they from?
Jenna says
what a great day you had with friends! looks like a blast!!
jenna
Lu says
Those are amazing pictures! Looks like you had great eats and a great time with friends. Hope your trip home is a safe one.
Anne Marie@New Weigh of Life says
Wow-I love the pictures!! It looks like a fantastic time!
Janna (Just Flourishing) says
Stunning photos. I like the one of you and the breadstick 🙂
It all sounds amazing.
Food Makes Fun Fuel says
What a great day! Way to live in the moment
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
Personal tour guides and photographers must make the blogger life much easier. You all look like it was a beautiful day 🙂
brandi says
how beautiful!
Looks like you’re having a great time – I hope you all have safe travels back. It so great to finally meet so many bloggers face to face this weekend.
Cait (Cait's Plate) says
Oh my gosh it’s absolutely breath-takingly beautiful there! I’m so incredibly jealous!! Your camera is crystal clear! It looks like you’ve finally mastered all the settings! 🙂 I’m glad you had an amazing finale to your trip and I hope you have a safe trip back!
skinnyrunner says
im completely jealous, your pictures are amazing! i love the pic of you drinking wine. so cute!
Camile says
Oh Kath! I am so jealous that you got to stay! It looks like you had an amazing time in wine country 🙂 I ended up crashing last night, but I will e-mail you some pics I took tonight in case you want them for your personal use.
Wendy says
You did a fabulous job of capturing the day with your photography! Your pics just keep getting better and better.
Emily S. says
These photos are AMAZING, Kath. So glad you had such a wonderful time!
amber says
gorgeous pictures! I am just catching up on bLogs today, SO I wanted to also say CONGRATULATIONS on your win!!!
Marisa (vinyasa mama) says
You ladies are all so cute! I especially love the photo of you all with your cameras – and the one of the wine swishing around in the raised glass – beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing, looks like y’all had a fantastic time!
mary ann says
So I was thinking how someone might look at this trip as a little deceptive or over the top. But What I love and admire most is how completely HEALTHY and ideal yours and the others gals’ eating has been. I mean, it hits on the ultimate goals I strive for in living a healthy lifestyle: balance,, moderation, love, etc. I can just sense that you’re eating is with such intention and you’re really only “sampling” some truly amazing things-not at all over indulgent. (I wish I could practice such restraint). You always seem to include exercise into your routine, not to mention fruits and vegetables. And you always seem to recognize what your body (or heart) really wants. IT’s so important to satisfy both cravings and you’all do it marvelously. You can sense when a bite is really all you need, or when you really need a lil more of it! Or perhaps a lil some’tin sweet post pork belly, hehe. I love it and you inspire me like you wouldn’t even believe. Cheers!
MA
Chelsea says
You were right-these pictures are GORGEOUS!!!! We could always stop at the post office to mail your swag back!
Natalie from MD says
Hey Kath! Great Photos. I’m actually planning my Napa Honeymoon now..Any suggestions on Places to stay? Or tips, suggestions, recommendations?
Tina says
I love the way you described “living by the 5 senses”. That’s the way everyone should live! It’s definitely hard, but that would seriously be the life. I’m incredibly jealous of all your beautiful pictures, and now I’m dying to get my own SLR camera!! I’d have to say the food I would most want to try is the S’mores Torte. Incredible!
Krissy (Single Serving) says
It has been long enough. There is no way I can escape going to N. California and wine country now. Between your and Jenna’s pictures I clearly can’t keep putting it off! Looks like such a fabulous time.
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
gorgeous pix. glad you had a day of living in the now. what a gift!
Alicia says
Awesome pics! Love the lavender bags. That’s my fave!
Kath says
mary ann,
Thanks so much for your comment!
Natalie,
Send me an email.
Kath
Adventures of Alice says
Hey! What’d you think of the pork belly? I actually ordered some about a month ago because I wanted the sides it came with = ) haha… I don’t think I’d order it again, I felt like I was eating straight fat, but it was alright.
Ameena says
Amazing pictures and cute jacket! I love Northern California so much!
Gabriela says
Oh my goodness. Can we switch lives for a day? All that food looks INSANELY delicious. Glad you’re having fun!
aubrey king says
I loved reading about your experience at the Girl & the Fig! I am in culinary school right now and will be externing there for four months starting in September.
I love your website/blog by the way. I am in love with your Ode to Oatmeal (im a huge fan).
Everything you eat and the pictures you take look wonderful.