Snapa Photos II

Snapa Photos

Napa & Sonoma

We're home from a wonderful trip to Napa and Sonoma. We had 3 full days of wine tasting and that was heavenly! We ate at the most amazing restaurants...some that we had reservations for and others we stumbled upon. I took over 350 pictures....don't I have a great husband to let me take that many pictures? Capturing these pictures took many U-Turns, pulling off the side of the road, etc. etc....but Dustin was patient. The mustard plants were in bloom in between the vines.... I haven't uploaded the pictures yet....I know that will take a few hours...that I haven't found time for, yet. It's hard being away from your job....your work just piles up---there isn't a magical work fairy!!! My favorite winery was Duckhorn and Dustin's was Cakebread. Other wineries we tasted at and visited were: Franciscan (to me had the BEST Reserve Merlot I tasted on the entire trip), Whitehall, Frank Family, Rombauer, Duckhorn, SilverOak, Peju, Caymus, Domaine Chandon (for Jay some bubbly-bubbly), Artessa, and Domaine Carneros. PICTURES COMING SOON! They are absolutely breathtaking. On our way home we got up early and headed back to San Francisco to visit the Muir Woods. Something I have wanted to do, but when I am in the bay area I dash for the wine country. After that we continued down Highway 1 to the beach...took off our shoes and walked in the coooollldddd sand. Following that we went up to another lookout to capture pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge---with the heavy fog hovering around the top was just breathtaking. Then we had lunch at McCormick and Culetos in the Fisherman's Wharf....looking over the Bay and at Alcatraz. We previously had dinner there on New Year's Eve in 2005. : )
Now we're back to work, boot camp and Dustin's studying for the Pennsylvania Bar... 1 month from now and it will be over. : ) We're staying in tonight, making soup and watching movies (or the series of Dallas --- uhhh we're still on Season 1!).

Napa Agenda

Our trip is just right around the corner!!! We leave Friday AM from Austin so we can fly direct on JetBlue and come home later afternoon on Monday. : ) I am soooo excited....of all of the places I have ever been Napa is BY FAR my favorite.

Here is our agenda so far: Friday Dinner at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen (Cindy is the owner of Mustard's Grill -- she is like THE Napa Chef and has several restaurants in and around the area...this will be our first time trying this restaurant). Check out the menu -- doesn't this look so delicious for a cool and overcast weekend! http://www.cindysbackstreetkitchen.com/

Saturday we have a private sit-down tasting (never had one of these before) at Caymus www.caymus.com and dinner that night at Mustard's Grill (our favorite restaurant!!! -- we ate here for Dustin's birthday in 2005 when we visited San Francisco with my parents and again, when we went to Napa in 2006).

Sunday morning we have a tour and reserve sit-down tasting with a wine maker at Cakebread www.cakebread.com (Tonna don't worry we'll bring you back a bottle).

The rest of the trip we are just winging it -- going to more boutique vineyards and wineries....a little less mainstreamed and off of the beaten path of Highway 29. I hope we have time to visit Artesa, Hess, Stag's Leap, Franciscan, Beaulieu Vineyards (this wouldn't be a trip without Napa without visiting this GORGEOUS winery), Louis Martini, Benziger, Simi, Hall, Silver Oak, Murphy - Goode, Meeker.... If we visit all of these we will definitely need a cab (don't worry--we are very responsible).

CANNOT WAIT -- WE ARE ECSTATIC!!!!!!!

Day 1 of Boot Camp...CHECK!

Well we had an early morning -- waking up to an alarm clock at 4:15 in the morning is just a little on the early side. I started my boot camp this morning and can already tell I am going to be sore for the rest of today and through tomorrow I'm sure. It was a great workout though.....made myself do some things that I wouldn't be disciplined to do on my own. Six pack abs here I come! Dustin got up with me to start his study regimen for the Pennsylvania Bar that is in late February. ....this could make for a long two months. We're going to Napa on Friday for the long weekend -- much needed Dustin & Haley time.. I hope the weather holds up so we can fly in and out without delays or problems. Happy Monday to you all!!!

Boot Camp... Ouch!

Monday I start boot camp with a bunch of girls... I already feel sore, but haven't started yet... weird... placebo effect I guess!? We're going to work out Monday through Friday 5:15 - 6 am....which is scary early, but for me to be REALLY productive, my work out must take place before my day starts... wish me luck. This is all outside and Monday South Texas is expecting its' first "arctic blast." My friend Courtney has organized us all and made a blog... follow our progress. http://www.itsmyownbootcamp.blogspot.com/

Dustin's Birthday & New Years

Happy Birthday to Dustin! Last Thursday we celebrated with BBQ, The Adcocks and LaTonna in San Antonio oh and with a red velvet cake -- what more could you want? Dustin had a great birthday and birthday / New Year's Weekend! While at dinner for Dustin's birthday Brent's family is from El Dorado, Arkansas and some of Dustin's family is too and long story short with the help of Tonna we made a connection...one of Brent's Aunts by marriage is Dustin's cousin? I stayed quite confused during the conversation...but nonetheless we're running with it -- Dustin & Brent are related so now Leslie and I are too....at least according to me. HA : ) Nonethless a VERY VERY SMALL WORLD!!!
Friday we headed to Dallas for the non-Cotton Bowl at the Cotton Bowl. Dillon named it the Polyester Bowl. We had New Year's Eve Dinner at R & D Kitchen....delicious and cozy restaurant!! Then we went to a house party to ring in the New Year (pics coming soon). The Tech and Northwestern bowl game was on NEW YEARS DAY AT 11 AM --- uhhh EARLLLLYYYY! We made it and early to tailgate.... it was a beautiful but cold day. We spent half time on the front of the steps of the Cotton Bowl....we could do this because the game was practically empty! They now have a Gondola ride at the Cotton Bowl, so after eating our pizza, supreme nachos, corn dogs etc. we all loaded up for a ride.... Dustin saw an advertisement for a casino in Durant, Oklahoma....so instead of going back in to the game we walked to the car and drove to Durant. We started our New Year's off right -- I certainly got my ab exercise from laughing so hard. Can you imagine a car ride with Dillon, Emily (his gf), Dustin, me, Jay, Tabor and Kaycee (Tabor's gf)? We had nothing (no clothes, etc)....just eachother and 2 hotel rooms at the local Microtel...a blast is an understatement. It was such a fun weekend!!!! We did not forget our cabbage and black eyed peas...thanks to Dillon's early losing we got a free buffet for all and had ourselves some black eyed peas!!! Dustin is off of work today for the new year and I am back at school---forgot my computer and keys to my classroom this morning....guess I thought I was going out to breakfast or something vs. work today? HA...oh well makes for a good story. Hope you all had a wonderful NEW YEARS!!