Wine Country: Healdsburg, CA

I'm bringing it back 3+ years here and recapping a trip that I took to Healdburg in California in August 2015. Healdsburg is approximately 2 hours north of where we live in California, and it is one of the lesser known wine towns in the Napa/Sonoma area. In my opinion, Napa and to a certain extent, Sonoma, has become overly commercialized (think gift shops, valet service, guided tours... yuck); but, the good news is that there are still smaller towns such as Healdburg that maintain the charm of wine country without succumbing to the ritzy tourist crowd.

My friend Mary visted me shortly after I moved to the US and we decided to drive up to Healdsburg for the weekend to check it out. We rented bikes and biked down Dry Creek Road, which is the street  that is lined with wineries on either side. I highly recommend checking out this area of wine country on a bike, it forces you to get some exercise, slow down, and enjoy the sites and journey (and you don't have to worry about driving and driving!).

On to the pictures! We first picked up our bikes in town and did a tasting at Lambert Bridge Winery.

Old fire truck in front of the vineyard

We then biked over to the Dry Creek General Store, which is an adorable country store where you can pick up picnic essentials.

We took our picnic goods and biked down to Preston Winery, an organic and biodynamic winery with a great picnic area and a relaxed environment. You can purchase a bottle of wine and picnic on their lawn. This vineyard is my #1 recommendation in wine country. Its just plain relaxing and not pretentious.

Picnic delights!

After our lunch, we biked down to Quivira Winery and checked out their gorgeous gardens.

On Sunday, we stopped by for a tasting at Duckhorn, a fancier yet nice contrasting experience to the smaller vineyards of Healdsburg.

Here are my recommendations for the Healdsburg area:

EAT: eat at Shed for breakfast, Dry Creek General Store for picnic lunch essentials, Flying Goat for coffee, Spoon Bar for dinner

STAY: We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Windsor, it was a 15 min drive to Healdsburg, but a nice hotel and cheaper than staying in town and one of the only options available due to our last minute booking

PLAY: Rent bikes from Wine Country Bikes... the bikes come with attached bags to store wine bottle purchases :) Note that for most large vineyards you can walk in and pay for a tasting fairly easily, but most small vineyards require appointments made in advance. Also, its rare to find a US winery that won't charge you for a tasting, prepare to pay approx $15 per tasting, sometimes more or less.

Oechinensee, Switzerland

Oechinensee lake has been on my bucket list since before I moved to Switzerland, but for some reason we never made the trip when we lived there. I spent a weekend last fall in Switzerland with my good friend Dorothy and we decided to finally check out this lake, as well as the neighboring Blausee (translation: blue lake). Both sites are in the Bernese Oberland part of Switzerland, near the town of Kandersteg.

First stop was Blausee, this alpine lake has subterranean springs that lend it a color that is so crystal clear blue, it doesn't look real (almost like some poured blue gatorade into a cavern in the earth!). It was fall time so the colors of the technicolor trees reflecting on the water made it especially magical.

We stayed in the area overnight and the next day took a cable car and a short 1-2 mile hike to Oechinensee lake. This is another alpine lake, but surrounded by impressive, towering mountains. The area surrounding the lake is part of a UNESCO world heritage site. Similar to many sites in Switzerland, words just don't do the views justice -- so here are some pictures instead:

After visiting the lake, we headed home, but took a detour to enjoy a "la chasse" meal in the mountains, which is a typical game menu served during the fall. It normally consists of some sort of game meat (deer, boar, etc) served with potatoes and other hearty sides (click here for prior la chasse experiences when we lived in Switzerland).

There is truly nothing better in my mind than a weekend spent in the mountains, with good friends, views, and food. Perfection.

Blue waters in Menorca, Spain

Last September, we went to Menorca before a friend's wedding in London. Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands, and these islands had always been on my bucket list because of its translucent blue seas .... and because its Spain, obviously!

We stayed in the town of Binibeca Vell, which is on the southern side of the island and known for being quieter and more authentic Menorca. The town itself is a little fishing village and was the ideal base for a relaxing vacation. We stayed in a lovely AirBnB a few minutes walk from the beach.

We spent each day exploring a new beach on the island. Here are a some pictures:

Somehow I lost a lot pictures from my phone, so this photo isn't mine, but sit hows the cute beach that was in town, with a great little beach shack next to it

Also not my photo, but shows the town of Binibeca Vell itself

One of the nights we went to a bar (Cova d'en Xoroi) that was built into a series of caves and cliffs on the ocean. It was a spectacular setting.

On one of the last days, we took a catamaran cruise around the southern side of the island, out of the town of Ciutadella. We went past gorgeous beach after gorgeous beach... 

The boat looks like its floating in mid-air!

In case you haven't seen enough photos of this blue water, here is a compilation of videos from the week that showcase Menorca's beautiful waters.... I couldn't get enough!

After we left the catamaran cruise, we spent the evening in the town of Cuitadella, which was amazingly beautiful. I would highly recommend checking out this town, or staying here.

Having a glass of wine at one of the restaurants in front of Ciutadella's open market

Close to home: Half Moon Bay

Since living in California, I realized that I haven't documented much of our "close to home" adventures and favorite spots. So without further ado, I give you Half Moon Bay, the beautiful ocean town which is a 15 min drive from our house. Half Moon Bay makes up one of the many ocean towns on the famous Route 1 drive on California's gorgeous coast. We often drive to the Half Moon Bay or surrounding area for an afternoon weekend walk or hike, to grab dinner by the ocean, or to show visitors the views. There is lots to do in the area, and below is my attempt to list our favorite recommendations:

Ritz Carlton: This is a beautiful hotel built on the edge of the ocean. Perfect spot to take in the views, grab a cocktail or hot chocolate on the outdoor patio while watching the sun set over the Pacific, and listening to the in house bagpipe musician play tunes as the fog rolls in. Just dreamy! There is also a paved easy walking trail, ideal for a Sunday stroll.

Ritz Carlton walking trail (lining the golf course) and the hotel in the distance 

The beach next to the Ritz Carlton, a popular place to be on a warm day

Other trails: There are so many trails in the area (check out this link for more information) that provide ocean, mountain, and sometimes city views. My favorite trails are the Montara, Grey Whale Cove, and Moss Beach Trails. The Moss Beach Trail is lovely because you can end your walk at the Moss Beach Distillery, where you can enjoy a beer and lunch at a local spot overlooking the ocean.

Visit from Mom

Leah visiting

Andrew visiting

Beach with mom!

For other food choices in the area, check out:

1. Sam's Chowder House (touristy and always busy, but for a good reason -- outdoor patio, banks, views, and their famous lobster rolls make it worth the wait). 
2. Cafe Capistrano is also a great choice for authentic Mexican, but note there are no ocean views.
3. Barbara's Fish Trap for your fish and chips and fried seafood fix.

The view from Sam's Chowder House 

Ryan's parents visiting

Happy boy with this lobster roll