As soon as I moved to Napa, my “squad” (self coined, endearing label for our group of seven best friends) started planning a trip. A bonus of living in a tourist destination is that people want to come visit! Well, that, and they also love me (of course). A couple gals in our group had last minute things come up and had to stay home, but the rest of us eagerly awaited our weekend of wine and sunshine. Moving somewhere new can be scary and lonely, so I had been looking forward to this all year.
Friday morning was when everyone in the mom gang was finally here from Tennessee, Arizona, and Texas (Ashlie, Bethanie, Meg and Brittany). We spent the morning walking around Yountville, getting obligatory macarons from Bouchon Bakery, stopping for photo ops in the vineyards, and admiring all the little shops and tasting rooms. We had brunch at Hurley’s which was delicious.
Next on the agenda, was to head up valley to Calistoga and work our way back to Napa. We started at Castillo Di Amorosa for the views and photo opps. The wine wasn’t bad, but the company and the laughs were the highlights.
After the castle, we drove through downtown St. Helena, adoring the boutiques and cute houses. We decided to make one more stop at Robert Mondavi, a popular winery that out-of-towners always want to explore. It’s an incredible property with familiar wine. We had a few bites and sips and went back to Napa to get ready to eat dinner.
We chose a restaurant in downtown Napa that night called The Corner. To be honest, it was an unpleasant experience for multiple reasons, but we had fun just being together, as usual. Tyler and Lincoln even went!
Saturday morning we planned to go on the wine train, but I unexpectedly woke up incredibly sick. I’m not sure if it was a virus or food poisoning, but I was definitely out of commission for the better part of the day. I tried to get all the rest I could to prepare for our dinner that night, which I was really looking forward to.
My Outfit | c/o Sweetest Stitch
Saturday night, we ate at Live Fire Pizza in Oxbow Market in Napa, which is one of my favorites. They opened this summer and I was lucky enough to attend the opening and taste many of their menu items, so I knew they would be a hit. Ervan, the managing partner, greeted us and showed us to the designated area they set aside for our party on the deck. We started off with a refreshing glass of prosecco. They brought us several options from the menu to share “family style”, and nothing wasn’t absolutely decadent. They have a fall soup right now that is incredible. I also adore the burrata appetizer and the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts appetizer. As far as pizzas go, I’m boring and found my favorite to be the margherita style. It’s the perfect spot for wood oven pizzas and a carefully selected wine menu.
Special thanks to Life Fire Pizza for sponsoring our group dinner Saturday night.
After dinner, we went over to my dear friend Mallory’s house for more wine and mingling. If you know me at all, you know that I love for my friends to meet my other friends so that everyone can love each other and be a giant group of happiness. (Too much? I’m not sorry.) We had a blast and I loved getting so many people I love together in the same place.
Sunday morning, it was time to wrap up and say our goodbyes. Carly from Lipgloss & Crayons even drove up and joined us for a stellar brunch at The Meritage Resort. Y’all. It wasn’t the cheapest, but it was so worth it! I am definitely going back, if only for that brunch! We drug out our goodbyes and gave hugs to finish a weekend of sore cheeks and runny mascara from laughing. Time with them is never long enough, but I’m a lucky lady to have friends like them in my life. Actually, lucky doesn’t scratch the surface.
Wine Squad Tees | c/o Little Hooligans Co.
“Wine So Hard” Tees | c/o Little Hooligans Co.
Puzzle Necklace | c/o The Silver Loft
Just the day after our weekend ended, Napa and Sonoma counties were devastated by wildfires that took many lives and homes. Please consider contributing to Wine Country relief. There is an excellent list here.
No Comments