A Sideways Saturday Tasting at Kalyra
Alena knows my love of wine and movies and the wine movie Sideways. So as a super thoughtful Christmas gift she looked up the wineries from the movie and picked one to take me to on a wine tasting date. She chose Kalyra as it had a laid back tiki bar theme. I do love…
Happy Canyon Vineyard – Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail # 21
I had a great time drinking wine at Happy Canyon Vineyard’s downtown Santa Barbara tasting room. It is a beautiful Polo themed tasting room with a nice bar as well as a comfy lounge area to enjoy a glass or two. I basically had the place to myself while Steve guided me through a tasting…
Wine Tasting at Flora Springs – Napa Valley
As a post Thanksgiving treat for my good friends, Jack and Kelli, plus Alena and me, I pulled some strings with a guy I know (my Dad) and got a reservation for a morning of wine tasting at Flora Springs in Napa Valley! I have tried some of their wines before with my father and…
The Ultimate Holiday Disneyland Trip
Alena and I just got back from a weekend in SoCal celebrating our 3rd anniversary of dating at the happiest place on Earth, Disneyland! Neither of us had been in many years and we were both excited to visit while the park was all decked out in decorations during the Holidays. We opted for only…
A Visit to the Pierce Ranch Tasting Room
In October I found myself wondering Cannery Row in Monterey with my family, killing time before my cousin’s wedding, when I stumbled across the Pierce Ranch Vineyard tasting room. After spending an hour plus gawking at the amazing otters and seals splashing just offshore in the Monterey Bay while dodging hordes of tourists, I was…
Jamie Slone Wines – Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail #23
I brought my girlfriend Alena along for a Saturday evening tasting at Jamie Slone Wines. We had a lovely time trying some delicious wines at the their beautiful Santa Barbara tasting room and chatting with the wonderful Hope, who we were lucky to have serving us our flight.
DV8 Cellars – Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail #25
I visited the fun and lively rock’n’roll themed DV8 Cellar tasting room on a busy Saturday afternoon. DV8 is in Santa Barbara’s famed funk zone, full of tasting rooms, bars, and fun restaurants. On weekends the funk zone can be pretty busy and high energy, DV8 was no exception. I knew nothing about this winery before…
How much does it cost to hike the JMT?
I did so much research while I was planning my John Muir Trail thru-hike. All the articles, blogs and forums I scoured talked about the things one must bring, how to pack it all, what to eat and how fast (or slow) to hike. Not one of them mentioned how much it really costs to…
Margerum Tasting Room – Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail #7
Tasting wine at Margerum Wine Company’s downtown Santa Barbara tasting room was another Sunday afternoon well spent. I was treated to a wonderful tasting by Tom and Mo and was joined by some lovely fellow wine lovers as they guided us through 7 tasty wines and even some homemade delicious popcorn! The perfect storm of…
Silver Wines – A Low Key Tasting Room with Beautifully Crafted Blends – Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail #8
Another post in my Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail Series. See the summary article here for general Wine Trail info or to read about the 27 other wineries!As it was still well before normal closing hours on a Sunday afternoon when I finished at the Grassini tasting room, I decided to check out another Urban…
Grassini Family Vineyards – Sweet Bordeaux Varietal Wines in a Relaxed Setting – Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail #13
Another post in my Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail Series. See the summary article here for general Wine Trail info or to read about the 27 other wineries! The Grassini Family Vineyards tasting room is located in the Presidio section of Santa Barbara right off of State Street. I called ahead to make sure they…