Any visit to my place begins with a glass of something special in the backyard, time to shake off all of the discomforts of travel and chill, relax, chillax!  

I took her on my favorite quick tour of the WC which includes Viansa . . .

Jacuzzi Winery . . .

and nearby Cornerstone Gardens and Artefact Design & Salvage.

Artefact is home to the most amazing salvage and global finds in both the showroom and the extensive yard outside. 

We stopped into a neighboring café where we admired the walls covered in rustic whitewashed wood, and I’m such a fan of that stunning giant wood sculpture.

In fact, I kinda love it.

We had lunch at the fabulous El Dorado Kitchen and spent the afternoon strolling the Sonoma Plaza.  Back home I coaxed Rhoda into cooking some of her famous chicken and dumplings for me and she fell for my devious plan.

Mmmmmmm mmmmmmm comfort food!

Rhoda’s homemade recipe is here.

Sunday we both headed to the local Antique Faire to go treasure hunting together.

This was one of my favorite finds, a giant blue rusty wire basket.

Rhoda is just one of those {best kind of} friends that brings out the silly in me.

It was time for serious blog business, so we took a break and headed to the used book section at the local bookstore to dig through some decorating texts and do research for the upcoming Haven Conference.  Did we score some valuable information! 

So inspiring, I tell you.  We came up with several ideas for workshops to teach.  We decided we are definitely bringing back the cactus/cow/duck combo.  

Personally, I think some window treatments deserve a real chance at a comeback.  

Poufy knots!  Swags and jabots!

Oooh, a ruffled floral balloon valance! With matching shams!

Be still my heart, it’s a matching quilted comforter, shams, border, and a swag valance with a matching oversized rosette!  Salmon pink walls too!  “Crowning the double swag is a fabric rose which repeats the pattern motif to complete the design”.  Awesome.

Anyone interested in a gathered floral lampshade tutorial?

You can always count on me to bring you the most valuable DIY information.

After our extensive research session, we headed back out to the Antique Faire for more browsing, and what a great time we had. Today, we’re off to San Francisco to do some sightseeing, and don’t forget, the big mantel party that kicks off the Fall Link Parties is tomorrow.

Question of the day:  What design trends are we embracing today that you think will become the balloon valances, floral swags, and jabots of the future?  Please discuss.  

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“Hey Kate, we’re coming to San Francisco and want to spend one of our vacation days in Wine Country, where do you recommend we go/sip/eat?”

Just one day?  Oh no!  Truly, you need several days to experience Northern Cali’s Wine Country, preferably two days spent in the Napa Valley touring Calistoga, St. Helena and Yountville, and two days in the different regions of Sonoma County, specifically Healdsburg and Sonoma.  A few days is really the way to vacation in the WC in order to truly absorb the flavors and the relaxed atmosphere around here.  It’s infectious.  You may find you never want to return home. 

However, if you’ve only got one day and you’re coming from (or living in) the City by the Bay, it’s true, you can still get the flavor of Wine Country in a single day.  Here is the very best route for all of you “I just have one day” visitors.  This day trip is 45 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge and takes you on a tour of the Carneros region in Sonoma, known for its Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and sparking wines from grapes that grow in the volcanic soil and thrive amid the coastal breezes. 

This tour will give you a taste and feel for the region and still allow your designated driver to get back to your hotel in San Francisco by nightfall.  Let’s journey, shall we?  Who’s up for a day trip to Wine Country?  Yay, glad you all raised your hands. 

First, travel north on Highway 101 to Highway 37 to Highway 121 – it’s best to map it out before you come on MapQuest, your smart phone, or a GPS device.  

You’ll cross Marin County into Sonoma County and enter the Carneros Valley where you’ll see the grapevines rolling along the hills and start to get excited.  Relax, there are acres of those to come!  Your first stop is Viansa, an Italian inspired hilltop winery which specializes in both red and Italian varietals.  This villa offers a fabulous view, beautiful gardens, and a great marketplace of gourmet foods.  

Next, you’ll travel next door to Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.  The nicest thing about Jacuzzi, other than its sustainable practices, is the fact that although relatively new, the estate buildings seem as if they’ve existed for centuries.  There’s a courtyard, fountain, and vines crawling up the stone façade.  Sample their wines and the flavorful olive oils at The Olive Press.

A worthy stop along Highway 121 for both its idyllic gardens and charming farmhouse tasting room is Cline Cellars. You’ll walk among rose gardens and swaying willow trees nestled along the banks of several spring fed ponds surrounded by vineyards. This winery is definitely worth your stroll, plus they offer complimentary tastings. 

Along this Highway 121 route (also known as Arnold Drive) you’ll also see two of my favorite places, the first is Sonoma Country Antiques.  They have great finds in their shop, but much more out back, be sure to look around if time permits. 

On this route, you’ll also want to stop into CornerStone Gardens, home to many design shops and art galleries in an outdoor setting where you can stroll from shop to gallery and admire all of the garden installations and their unexpected forms designed by renowned artists.  There’s also a gourmet café here which makes a great stop for a quick lunch. 

One of the best places on the planet for architectural salvage is Artefact Design & Salvage, located within CornerStone Gardens.  Inside you’ll find swoon worthy finds from all across the world, curated by globe trotting owner Dave.  Nate would really love this place. 

Don’t spend too long because you want to sample sparkling wines while you’re in the region.  You have two places to sip them close by, Gloria Ferrer which is the next stop after Jacuzzi, or you can drive in the direction of Napa along Highway 12/121 to visit Domaine Carneros, with a stunning French inspired chateau which sits atop a knoll surrounded by vineyards.  Both wineries have amazing views and great sparkling wine samplers. 

There are two other favorites wineries in the near vicinity, one of them is Gundlach Bundschu (pronounced Gun-Lock-Bun-Shoe).  They make great Cab Franc and Syrah, but also are known for unique varietals like Gewürztraminer and Tempranillo Rose. 

We also like Nicholson Ranch for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and the sweeping views of the valley.  Both are definitely worth your visit if you have the time, and only a short distance from the Sonoma Plaza, which is where you want to head by late afternoon.    

From Highway 12, take Broadway to the Sonoma Plaza and find a parking spot. 

There are amazing shops and galleries on all four sides of the Plaza, here are just some of the highlights: 

When you stroll around the Plaza in the afternoon and evening, visiting the shops and galleries, be sure to duck down some of the interesting alleys for even more to see. 

For home décor visit Summervine and H Frank to the north west, Harvest Home and Chateau Sonoma for great antiques on the southwest side, and The Corner Store for beautiful linens, bed, and bath.  Many of these home décor shops close at 5 or 5:30 p.m. so be sure to arrive at the Sonoma Plaza around 4 p.m. or earlier to allow time to browse.  

Two great places to taste wine on the Plaza are the Ledson Hotel and our most favorite place to sample boutique wines, the Sonoma Wine Shop.  We’re members of their wine club because they’re experts at what they do: they fine tune your palate through various tastings, and they will ship you wines based on your personal preference.  We like that.  You’ll like them too. 

End you busy day of sipping, sightseeing, and shopping at any one of these fine restaurants on the Plaza, mapped out above.  Here are our five favorites, and reservations are recommended:  Meritage Oyster Bar (seafood & cocktails); El Dorado Kitchen (gourmet seasonal Californian, outdoor seating); the girl & the fig (classic seasonal French); The Swiss Hotel (relaxed Italian/Californian, outdoor seating); and Della Santinas (traditional seasonal Italian fare). 

Cheers to you and a lovely day spent in unforgettable Sonoma, our favorite place to be.

Happy tasting and safe travels from your local tour guide!

xo,

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Here are a few scenes from our outdoor table for two.

The spring green chairs are extra seating we keep around for entertaining so I brought them along; the pillows I borrowed for the occasion from my little boy’s room.

The pleated tablecloth (layered over a simple folding table) I stitched out of a painter’s canvas.  I love painter’s tarps for all sorts of projects, they’re inexpensive and can be used in so many ways, from their intended purpose as a drop cloth to drapes or even tablecloths like this one.  The canvas adds a rustic texture and the pleats a flirty feminine detail, so pretty right?

Dinner was three courses, including an olive medley and local cheese plate served with warm sourdough, followed by farmer’s market greens and chilled tri tip as an entrée, then finished off with my homemade lemon tart.

Candle, bowl and napkins found last year at Anthropologie.  Both of the dinner plate and salad/dessert plate are not ceramic, and get this, they’re indestructible.  I discovered them in a local shop ~ they’re Le Cadeaux triple weight melamine.

I walked into a favorite local shop iLeoni and inquired about melamine plates for a picnic basket I was putting together for our anniversary.  I was amazed when the owner pointed them out to me because I passed them by thinking they were ceramic, but no!  They’re both sturdy and pretty, so I thought them the perfect plate to tuck into our picnic basket.  If you love them too, you can buy them online, the yellow dinner plates are available here, and the rooster dessert plates here.

I assembled this collection of plates and napkins with every intention of our picnicking often and we have!  I keep them tucked inside this vintage picnic basket I found at an antique store, ready to go whenever we feel the urge to head out on an adventure and dine outdoors.  My little girl is now in the habit of grabbing the basket when we announce we’re on our way to have a picnic ~ it makes for a lovely memory for all of us and I plan to hand it down to her someday.

The Sonoma Plaza has grandfathered consumption laws, so it’s perfectly fine to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine under the trees as we did that evening.  Yet another reason why you need to visit Sonoma someday, if you haven’t already!

It was really enchanting, people all around stopped by to admire the table and inquire about the reason for the formal outdoor picnic.  Our reply was always “It’s our anniversary!” which was followed by smiles and congratulatory wishes.

I’m so happy to have finally had the chance to share this table with you!  Who needs a fancy restaurant when you can create a romantic table right at your local park?  I say just do it.

Create magic when the opportunity exists because life is too short not to. Be brave, take risks, carpe diem!  Seize the moment and then make it special for your loved ones.  Whether you choose to do it in a public plaza or your own backyard is up to you.

Do you have an inspiring picnic or BBQ idea you’d like to share?  Link up friends, I can’t wait to see it !

Gorgeous sunshine and great company made for a relaxing day out and about ! 

This expensive glassware has me thinking of a DIY project . . .

Gorgeous detail !

This is Landmark Winery, famous for their chardonnay 

The not-to-miss grounds which are so difficult to leave . . .

Because I could sit here in these perfect green rockers in the shade all day listening to that fountain.

Couldn’t you ?

These critters were really good all weekend.

Until they weren’t.  

Perhaps it was the wine they were tasting ?  :-)

I kid.

I just adore my niece and nephews, and I’m kind of fond of that cutie on the right. 

And then my niece flashed her big brown eyes at me.

And begged, “Auntie, could you make me a pillow with my name on it ?”

I cannot resist this brown eyed girl.

So I stitched up this little pleated pillow for her.

Oh, and I managed to squeeze in a little of this too. 

Can’t wait to share !

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Usually I make my way to downtown Sonoma for a stroll and a day in the park.  Whenever I take a drive, I always bring my camera !  Here’s a few of my favorite photos of a country drive to Sonoma.

Ultimate destination: downtown Sonoma. 

Here is this lovely town photographed in springtime !

Worth the drive, every time ! 

For some other backyard tours, take a visit to some of these places too. 

Tour a local Lavender Bee Farm

Visit Kenwood and Chateau St. Jean

Spend the weekend in Napa

Sip sparkling wine in the Carneros Region

Tour a Castle Tasting Room in Napa

Visit Yountville and Thomas Keller’s Bouchon

See my most Favorite Escape where I take all my visiting friends and family. 

Enjoy these little tours, while I dive back into some DIY -  I’m in the middle of a makeover of my boy’s room plus some other projects too.   And if anyone is contemplating a visit to Wine Country, be sure to email me for some insider tips on places to go to make your vacation memorable.

Thanks so much for reading friends ! 

Whenever visitors come to town, this is where I like to take them for an incredible afternoon.

The grounds are covered in olive trees, statues, flowers, and grapevines.

This sentiment captures the mood of the property. 

Inside the tasting room, there are two separate bars to taste wine, and a mouthwatering collection of gourmet treats in their store, including olive oils, tapenades, vinegars, grilling sauces, and other culinary delights. 

Viansa has expansive lawns and picnic grounds, and has a terrace where any visitor can see the Sonoma valley. 

Another favorite stop reminiscent of Italy is right next door.  The rustic stone Jacuzzi Winery was completed in 2007, but the architecture manages to fool you into thinking it has been there since the family immigrated to America in 1907.

Jacuzzi is a modern model of sustainable farming practices that makes this wine tasting facility not only beautiful but environmentally conscious. The courtyard, piazza, fountains, and barrel room are elegant and worthy of any special event.

An added treat is The Olive Press tasting room featuring local olive oils, and the expansive selections of unfiltered blends with The Olive Press label. Also noteworthy for their unique fragrance are the candles and soaps made from olive oil.

If I can spare the time, I love to pop into Sonoma Country Antiques to browse their collection of European imports and be inspired. 

I’d give a limb for one of these pricey antique French wine jugs.  Swoon ! A girl can dream, right ?

Our first stop was Ledson Winery, known to the locals as ‘The Castle’.  This Gothic French-Normandy structure  is stunningly beautiful. While it looks as thought it may have been around as long as the 100 year old oak trees on the grounds, it actually was built in 1993.  There are several tasting bars located within, and outside you can walk the grounds, taking in the vineyards and gardens. 

Today we simply strolled the grounds and the gift shop.  The critters are fond of the oak trees at Ledson.

I like to walk through the dusty fields and watch the grapes grow.

Our next stop for a picnic was the world famous Chateau St. Jean.  No doubt, you’ve seen their wines in restaurants near you.  This place is my favorite winery in Sonoma.  Nowhere transports me faster to Europe than in this unique location.  As you meander through impeccable gardens, filled with bloom filled containers and fountains, the gravel crunches under your feet, just like the formal gardens of France. 

Here’s a peek at the tasting room, and the stylish seating area inside the gift shop. 

Outside, we shared a picnic on the great lawn, next to a blooming magnolia tree, with paper lanterns overhead.  I was able to catch up on the latest BH&G issue, despite the munchkins crawling all over me.  

Notice the Water Resistant Outdoor Blanket?   It’s made by Tuffo, and I am crazy about it.  This blanket is chocolate brown nylon on one side, and a stylish blue stripe on the cloth side.  It has its own carrying case and is machine washable.  I bought it two years ago from Amazon, and I use it all summer long.  At the pool, at the park, or anywhere public.  I keep it in my car, and I highly recommend it for your outdoor adventures. 

Now back to our Sunday.  I never dreamed I’d ever feature a picture of a public bathroom, but oh my, have you ever seen a better entrance to a restroom than this?

On our way into the town of Sonoma, we stopped to photograph the award winning Kenwood Inn & Spa because the light was so perfect at this stunningly beautiful spot.  This oasis is reminiscent of Tuscany in every way, with its butternut tinted walls covered with creeping ivy, its courtyards, and its corridors.

I was a complete trespasser today, exploring the paths of the Kenwood Inn surrounded by grapevines and more fountains.  At the end of one path was a spectacular private villa, with an amazing view of Sonoma’s Valley of the Moon.

I stopped to kick up my toes at the outdoor spa, faking that I was an actual guest.  Ah, now wouldn’t this be the life ?!  

Our last stop was one of our favorite places on earth, the Sonoma Square.  This public square is one of the few, perhaps only, plazas in California where you can publicly consume adult beverages, due to grandfathered consumption laws.  We purchased a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from our favorite Sonoma Wine Shop, pulled out our favorite blanket and picnic basket, then lounged with a glass on the grass. 

We had no worries about drinking and driving.  We had our designated driver with us. 

Stay tuned for Friday’s giveaway, featuring savory selections from the wineries featured today.  And I was able to refurbish that highboy dresser I found at the Goodwill.  It looks remarkable – can’t wait to show you !

And congratulations to Pam at Ramblings of a Happy Homemaker for winning the Lavender Bee Farm giveaway ! 

Cheers,

Kate