It’s a wine-Deerfield weekend! 🍷 My version of wonderful!
Wyze Wine’s first post had to be on a wine from my favorite winery, Deerfield Ranch Winery located in Kenwood, California. I love their mouth-watering red wines!
The gem I opened the other day was their 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. I am sad to say I am down to our last few bottles of this…
This wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Syrah. It has been aged for 39 months in 60% French and 40% American barrels, 25% new. Sounds delicious right? It sure is!
I love how Deerfield describes it as a “multi-dimensional wine that changes as you drink it. It evolves and holds your interest.” I completely agree.
My impressions:
Pours: Thick, deep garnet red
Smell: A bouquet of ripe red and dark fruit, cherries, blackberries, plum all laced with beautiful cedar and a touch of allspice.
Taste: Mouth-watering, full-bodied, oaky, syrupy, fruit forward but not sweet, tannins compliment wine and round it out.
There is nothing better than enjoying a glass of wine overlooking a gorgeous vineyard this time of year. In every trip we have taken to Sonoma and Napa we try to balance the trip with some fantastic wines, along with wineries that have beautiful views. Here are a few of our favorite wineries for their views and ambiance.
Domaine Carneros has one of my favorite views and ambiance in Napa and Sonoma. It is on CA-121 N , the road leading into Napa from San Francisco. We typically stop here on our first day as it is on the way into wine country. The winery itself is beautiful and looks like a french chateau. The views of the rolling vineyards surrounding the tasting room are even more breathtaking. They are open daily from 10 am- 5:30 pm and they do require reservations. We always make reservations for the terrace to enjoy the wine, fresh air and landscape. You will have table service. My advice is to plan to spend some time here and definitely snap a few pictures (or more). We first visited their winery back in 2013 and have been back numerous times. They are known for their sparkling wines and pinot noir. These are not typically my favorite varietals but they do such a good job with them and the experience is worth the stop.
This winery has not only gorgeous views, but a beautiful pool, cinema, dining, numerous tasting experiences and more. It’s worth a visit if you are looking for a non-conventional winery or just one with some additional flare. They allow short self-guided walks through the vineyard to explore and enjoy the views. The tasting room in Geyersville is open 11 AM to 6 PM daily.
We were lucky enough to visit this winery on one of our wine tours through Sonoma. The Estate is located at the top of a hill and has unbelievable views over the Valley of the Moon. It truly does remind you of an italian hillside with vines growing up the hills in all directions. Their tastings now take place in a wine cave. Petroni is open from 10 AM to 4 PM, but reservations are required. The drive to the top of the mountain is windy and narrow, but worth the trip. In addition to the ambiance they have some big bold red wines, Proprietors Reserve was my favorite.
This winery is picturesque and very well groomed. The grounds are kept in pristine condition and it is a great place to stop and enjoy a glass of wine. There are two tasting rooms, one on the main floor and another in the underground cellar. Limited release wines are served in the cellar. In addition there is a terrace that overlooks the gardens and grounds, if it’s a nice day that is where I would be. Ferrari- Carano is open 10 AM to 5 PM daily. If you stay at Vintner’s Inn mentioned in my previous post about where to stay in Sonoma and Napa, you will receive a free tasting.
Viansa has a great view and terrace. Plan to stop here on your way into Sonoma and Napa or on your way out. They have an expansive terrace with several tables to enjoy the views and even some areas reserved for private tastings. In addition they have two large bars on each end of the tasting room. In the middle they have a large selection of souvenirs and wine paraphernalia. They also have a marketplace where you can buy food, cheese and charcuterie boards to enjoy a picnic inside or outside on the terrace. My favorite wines are their Reserves. They are located on CA-121 N which you can take in from Sausalito or San Francisco. They are open 10 AM to 5 PM. This is another great place to snap some beautiful pictures. There are several rows of vines where you can get pictures of the grapes up close or just a good look at them. We first visited this winery in 2012 and almost every trip we have made back to wine country we have stopped back in.
This winery has two tasting rooms. One is in Kenwood and the other is in Russian River Valley. Unfortunately the tasting room in Russian River Valley was burned by the terrible fires in 2017. They are currently rebuilding the tasting room and are slated to have it open in November 2019. When they re-open this location it is definitely a winery and view I would not miss. The views from the terrace are breathtaking over the vineyards and you can even see the ocean in the distance. The experience of sitting on their terrace overlooking the vineyards is not one I will soon forget. There is also a large steel sculpture of the word LOVE that is located below the winery, which is another great photo opportunity. We have been to both locations over the years and their wine is fantastic if you like that big bold delicious red. In the meantime stop by their Kenwood location open from 11 am-6 pm, their wine is well worth it. We love their Rockpile Cabernet.
This winery was recommended on our last trip to wine country. We were staying in Healdsburg and asked the concierge for suggestions of nearby wineries known for their reds. They had suggested Ridge Vineyards, which is located in Healdsburg. They have a nice tasting room with a covered outdoor terrace that overlooks their vines. The view is gorgeous! Be prepared to enjoy some good reds, beautiful views and definitely snap a picture or two too! They are known for their Monte Bello, which was made famous from the Judgement of Paris. We enjoyed their Zinfandels. Ridge is open 11 AM-4 PM (Monday-Thursday) and 11 AM-5 PM (Friday-Sunday). They also have a location in the Santa Cruz Mountains, their Monte Bello Estate.
Please note, I did not receive any compensation, gifts or royalties from these vineyards to write this post. As always these reviews are based on my own unbiased opinion.
Before baby arrives and after you will be inundated with items your family, friends, co-workers, and of course advertisers say you will need. As a parent you want to make sure your baby has everything they need and it can become expensive quick. Luckily, a newborn baby doesn’t need much more than love, milk, sleep, diapers, wipes and of course diaper rash cream. Below are some items that I have found essential as a first-time Mom.
The Essentials
Diapers– We have used Pampers Swaddlers from the beginning for little K. The hospital used these and gave us a few packages to take home. These worked perfectly for our baby and caused no irritation. We tried the pure pampers but since we didn’t notice any difference we stayed with the regular swaddlers as they were cheaper. Unfortunately, Costco does not carry these, so we buy them from Target or Walmart.
Wipes– We first bought the Huggies Natural Care wipes from Costco. They were great and caused no irritation on little K’s skin. Then one day I decided to try the cheaper Kirkland Baby wipes. They still work great and still do not irritate little K’s skin. The one complaint is that they are not quite as wet as the Huggies. We are still using them though, I think it’s nice to not have too much moisture on the wipes since it can then lead to the babies skin being left wet. We buy these in-store at Costco.
Desitin– We use the Maximum Strength Desitin, we used to buy the 3 pack from Costco. Yes we are Costco frequenters… Diaper rash was one of our biggest concerns, so we wanted to be extra vigilant. Luckily, this has worked perfectly with no diaper rash yet. Our Costco unfortunately does not carry the 3-pack anymore, but you can order a smaller single tube from the pharmacy. Amazon, Target and Walmart all carry these and depending on what sales are going on you may be able to get these cheaper there.
Best Purchases
The Boppy– Hands down, this has been by far our best purchase! It is like a cozy recliner for a baby. We have used it every day since little K was born. She absolutely loves it! We even use it for bottle feeding. We wanted to make a clear distinction between breast feeding and bottle feeding so there would be no nipple confusion. It has worked very well and little K has no problem taking one bottle a day and breastfeeding the rest of the time. This was her favorite place to be for the first 3-4 months of her life. She is getting too big for it now but still loves to take a rest in it every now and then. We bought this from Bed Bath & Beyond but many other stores carry it too.
Receiving blankets– You can’t buy too many of these! I had no idea how handy these would be. One of our friends had given us a lot of their leftover baby items. They had included stacks of these in the bag. We decided to keep them just in case we needed them, but had no idea how much of a necessity these were, let alone how many we would use on a daily basis! They can be used for spit up, burp clothes, a changing pad, a cover for a changing pad, blanket, and so much more. We use these all day every day! These can be bought anywhere, we use the flannel ones.
Burp Cloths– Another major necessity. The more you buy the less times you will have to do laundry daily. Little K goes through these quick! We bought these from buybuy Baby and Target.
Hooded bath towels– These are great for keeping your little ones head warm after bath time. We got ours from Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Chicco Keyfit Caddy– This was also one of those amazing purchases. We bought this because of how compact it is. It is quick and easy to fold down, light weight, has an adjustable padded handle and a large storage space underneath. The storage compartment can hold a large diaper bag, personal items and even a ton of groceries when shopping. Of course don’t forget to pull them out when you check out! A cashier checking me out said, “you fit all of that underneath that cart?!” she was truly amazed and frankly so was I. This is great for heading around town or for travelling. In order to purchase this you will need to have a Chicco car seat. We bought from Bed Bath & Beyond.
Playmat– I have the Tiny Love Deluxe Gymini, which has four toys and a mirror that dangle from the arches, and a bird that attaches to the top that lights up and plays music with different play modes. The mat is decently soft and the back of it has a material that has prevented little K’s spit up from seeping through. This can be used for playtime, tummy time and more. We detach some of the toys from the arches and use them during tummy time for visual stimulation even if we are not using the mat for tummy time. It was amazing to watch little K just look at the toys to grabbing them with both hands! I think the mat has helped with her hand eye coordination. We bought from Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Bottles, Pacifiers and Pumping
Pacifiers– I had bought several different pacifiers as I did not know which one little K would like. At first she enjoyed the one from the hospital, but it ended up causing more problems with breastfeeding so I decided to try the other ones we bought. The only one she liked was the MAM Night Pacifier. The button glows in the dark which is helpful, however that only works if the paci falls out and lands button up. I would suggest getting the ones with a pink or green shield as the clear ones fade into the crib, ground or wherever they happen to land. We bought these from buybuy Baby.
Bottles– Comotomo bottles are amazing! Little K has taken this bottle from the first day we introduced it when she was about 4-5 weeks old. They are small, slow flow and try to simulate the feeling of a breast. For 0-3 months there is a 5 oz bottle with slow flow and then 3-6 months there is an 8 oz bottle with medium flow available. There are also high flow tips available but we haven’t tried these yet. We recently changed to the medium flow and that was amazing. The slow flow is great up to 3 months and maybe even a little longer, but then you will need to upgrade to the medium flow tip. The tops of the bottle are interchangeable, so sometimes we will still use the 5 oz bottle with the medium flow tip as little K loves to hold her bottle and this is more her size for those cute little hands. Bottle feeding drastically decreased in time and little K was much happier with the flow. While not all babies are the same and I know some of my friends say they went through 10 different bottles before finding one they liked. I personally think this one is great.
Medela Pump– for many women the breast pump will unfortunately be your new best friend. Insurance typically covers a certain level of breast pumps and mine happened to cover this one along with others in its class. After reading reviews, talking to colleagues and friends I decided this one was for me. It works incredibly well. Typically each pumping session takes about 20-25 minutes, it can be shorter or longer depending on what level you set and how much you want to pump. The parts are easy to clean and it’s small so transporting it is not a big deal. While not always the most fun ladies, at least you can burn about 20 calories for each ounce of milk produced.
Medela Easy Expression Bustier– My pump did not come with anything to make it a hands free pumping experience. Who wants to use both hands while pumping? I bought this from Bed, Bath & Beyond and it has worked great.
Boon Grass Countertop Bottle Drying Rack– I use this all day every day. After pumping it is used to hold all the plastic pieces needed for pumping along with bottles. It works great as I carry it between floors in our home when I pump in a different room. I bought from Bed Bath & Beyond.
Glider/ Rocking chair– I always wanted a wooden rocking chair, like the one my Mom used when I was little. After looking around I decided the wooden rockers didn’t fit into our nursery. In opening my mind to other options I started looking at gliders, which in general were fairly expensive. Then I came across the Angel Line Windsor Glider and Ottoman, Gray w/ Gray Cushion at Walmart. It was only $130, which was significantly cheaper than gliders I had seen elsewhere. At first we were a little hesitant on going for the cheapest chair due to quality concerns. However, this was such a great purchase. Not only was the quality great, it matched our baby furniture (crib, dresser and changing table) from Costco and it is fairly easy to clean. Typically we spot clean the cushions, which works fine. After so many spit ups, we decided to put the cushions into our front load washer (I would probably not put it in a top load washer) and the two main cushions came out fine, while the arm cushions came out a little distorted. If I had to do it over I probably wouldn’t have washed the arm cushions, but now they are clean at least. I believe the cushions are dry clean only but the front load washer worked for me on a delicate setting.
Clothing
Onesies and Sleepers– In buying clothing for little K it seems every brand has different sizing. I look at a 3 month from Gerber, Carter’s, Little Me and and they all look so different. Be aware when buying these as there are huge discrepancies. Also, remember depending on the size of your baby they may be out of newborn clothing shortly after they are born so try not to overbuy that size. Having said that you will need several of these between spit ups and blow outs, we typically sized up so Little K would be more comfortable and we would be able to use them for longer.
Halo Sleepsack– These were great! Unfortunately you cannot have your newborn sleep with a blanket, so this is a cozy alternative to keep them warm at night. We tried swaddling little K like the nurses at the hospital showed us, but she was able to slowly break out of those through the night. We tried this as an alternative to swaddling and they worked great. They save time and little K loved it. The Halo sleep-sack multi-way is adjustable so you can wrap the baby tighter or looser depending on your preference. You can also wrap around the arms to prevent the newborn startle reflex, or you can let their arms free. We also used the regular Halo sleep-sack too.
Sleeping
Crib– We bought a convertible crib set from Costco so the furniture can grow with little K as she grows. The crib can convert to a bed, and a dresser and changing table came with the set. We opted for all 3 pieces as it is so hard to find another matching piece if you decide later that you need more drawers for storage. Luckily, we did this as our set is no longer sold, nor are the individual pieces sold and this is only 6 months after purchasing. The changing table has two large drawers, and two smaller ones. The dresser has 4 large drawers. We use all the drawers and I could use more! More storage is always better to hold all those burp cloths, receiving blankets, onesies and more!
Bassinet– While a bassinet is not cheap, I believe every penny was worth it on this item. It helped solidify our sleep routine with little K. She was sleeping through the night by 10 weeks and we were able to transition little K to her crib at 13 weeks with no issues.
The Halo bassinet was given to us at our shower and was essential in little K’s first few weeks. This particular bassinet swivels 360 degrees and it’s height can be adjusted so the baby will be at your eye level while sleeping. The legs of the bassinet can go under the bed, so I was able to sleep right next to little K but without the risk of putting her in our bed. I absolutely loved it! It made those first few nerve wrecking weeks of having a new baby so much easier being able to have her right next to me. The walls are a mesh, so they are breathable and I could see right through them. The bassinet plays music, vibrates and has soothing sounds. Little K especially loved one of the soothing sounds, similar to white noise and rushing water so we played this each night for her. This became part of her go to bed routine and ultimately helped her sleep better. If she woke up in the middle of the night it was very easy to comfort her without even leaving the bed. For feedings she was so close that it made it seamless to pick her up quickly as she was right next to me.
There are many more products that have been useful, but these are the ones I would start off with. I will be adding additional posts to discuss toys, books and more items that I have found useful as little K continues to grow.
In buying products I always look at the return policy prior to buying as so many toys and items you buy may look different in person when ordering them, or your baby may even grow out of them by the time you receive them. My favorite stores to buy from are Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy Baby due to their return policies, helpful customer service and 20% off coupons (Bed, Bath & Beyond & buybuy Baby). I also buy from Target and Amazon for convenience.
You will notice I bought a lot of the products above from Bed, Bath & Beyond (online, not in stores) instead of buybuy Baby. I did this due to the number of Bed, Bath & Beyond stores that are located near me (in the case I had to return in item), the buybuy Baby is a little further away. If looking to buy in store you will need to go to buybuy Baby as Bed, Bath & Beyond does not carry most of these items in store. Buybuy Baby also has an amazing selection of clothing, just like Target does. If you are lucky to live in a city with a buybuy Baby definitely go check it out! Happy shopping!
After 40 weeks, the big day is here! Or is it? I hit my 40 week mark and there I was still pregnant! I tried everything including spicy thai food, garlic, pineapple, raspberry leaf tea, and eggplant parmesan, but nothing worked. I walked 10,000 steps a day… yes I really did walk that much and still nothing happened. I had a very healthy pregnancy and was used to running and walking every day which is why I was so mobile at the end. Whether you are early, on time or late that big day will eventually be here.
I chose to divulge my birthing experience since I had so many questions prior to giving birth as a first time mom. Between friends, google and other moms sharing their experiences it helped calm my nerves, so I wanted to do the same for other soon to be mommys!
As everyone does, I had a birth plan that I was hoping to follow. I thought with my active and healthy pregnancy I would be able to go into labor myself without any intervention from my doctor. Unfortunately, that did not happen and I was just along for the ride!
To say the least my birthing plan was modified quite a bit when I went into the 40 week doctor appointment. The doctor told me I was dilated about 1-2 centimeters and effaced at 50%. They had me schedule an appointment for one week later, at 41 weeks on the nose. If I did not go into labor by then they would schedule an induction for that day. Alternatively, I could just schedule an induction for the day before I turned 41 weeks. After reading about inductions, it seemed there could be a greater chance of a c-section if I was induced. In addition there would need to be another night spent at the hospital while receiving both Pitocin and Cervidil. I was interested in doing an all natural birth, including no epidural, so this did not interest me unless absolutely necessary.
I considered the options over the next few days and made a few more calls to my doctor before making a decision. The practice I was using did not want me to go past 41 weeks as they said nothing good comes from waiting beyond that gestation. I decided I’d rather not come in for an additional appointment just to hear that I would have an induction later that day. I called the doctor back and scheduled the induction the last day they would let me go, which was the day before I turned 41 weeks.
I did not give up hope on a natural birth and every day I tried something new that I had either read online or heard from friends. No luck with any of them. This baby girl was coming on her own time or she was going to be forced out it seemed…
Hospital Bound!
That fateful Sunday rolled around and there I was still pregnant! The way my hospital began the induction process was to give me a call sometime after 12 PM that day to tell me to come in. I was essentially on call since they did not know when a bed would be free. At about 2 PM I received the call saying it was time to come into the hospital for the induction.
Taking a step back, induction was not what I planned for, nor what I wanted, but the experience wasn’t all that bad. My husband and I had extra time to pack anything we would need. We had an additional week to get prepared for the baby, spend time together and anticipate the birth. We were prepared and relatively calm heading to the hospital, as there were no contractions and nothing unexpected occurring.
Decision between Doctor and Midwife delivery
While you are pregnant part of your labor plan will include whether a doctor or midwife will be delivering your baby. I was set that I wanted a doctor to deliver me from the beginning, so I tried to set up every prenatal appointment with a new doctor in the practice. It was extremely unlikely I would actually get my doctor for delivery unless I delivered during office hours, as they all rotated night and weekend call.
When making the decision on whether to go the doctor or midwife route be sure to find out what the chances are you will actually get the individuals you want to deliver you and how often they are on call. This is very important because you will want to feel comfortable with whoever is delivering your baby. It is a good idea to meet all the doctors and midwifes in your practice or as many as you can.
After attending a Childbirth Essentials class, the knowledge, experience (15+ years) and personality of the teacher, who was also a midwife caused me to alter my labor plan. If she was on call I wanted her to deliver my baby. During this class we also learned the main differences between a doctor and midwife delivery. Typically midwifes are much more hands on prior to active labor. I liked the fact I knew she would be by my side throughout the entire labor process. While doctors will be with you during the active labor, midwifes are typically by your side long before that and helping you in any way you need.
Midwifes are also typically more flexible throughout the whole labor process and do offer more options for pain management and delivery. If you choose a doctor the nurses typically play a larger role prior to the active labor.
However, doctors do offer an extremely high level of education, knowledge and will be able to handle any complications that arise. Even if you choose to go the midwife route you may need to have a doctor intervene should any complications arise. Check with your doctors office to see how a doctor delivery can differ from a midwife.
Another factor in deciding if you would like to have a physician or midwife deliver you may be the rate of c-sections. It was about 40% for physicians and 20% for midwifes in my practice. While both are high, 40% seemed alarming. It is a good idea to ask for these rates when making your decision.
My midwife was absolutely amazing throughout the whole delivery process and worked to ensure I had a vaginal delivery. When we have our next baby (if we are so lucky) I can only hope I can have her by my side again. However, I did not feel the same way with other midwifes in the practice. I would still highly consider having a physician deliver me if I could not have this midwife as they offer an extremely high level of experience and education.
The week prior to my due date I asked for the on-call schedule for doctors and midwifes. I was allowed to switch paths through the day I went into labor. When I went past my due date I asked for the next weeks schedule. Ultimately my decision to go the midwife route was made that last week looking at who would be on call for my delivery.
Process for Induction
We got to the hospital, checked in and were taken to our room. Shortly after our arrival the first nurse came in to take vitals and set up the IV in my arm to be ready to give fluids. They then checked to see if I was dilated any further. Unfortunately nothing had changed since the prior week so the Cervidil was inserted at around 7 PM. Cervidil can help to dilate your cervix. It is a small vaginal insert that will stay in place typically for 12 hours. It looks similar to a tampon but much smaller so be careful apparently they can fall out. Mine did not, but you don’t want to have to go through the insertion process twice.
This was a quick procedure, but now the nurses needed to monitor both myself and the baby until they removed the Cervidil the following morning (12 hours later). There was one heart rate monitor on me and one on the baby. Now it was just a waiting game. We ate, talked and tried to go to bed early as we knew the next day was going to be busy, exciting, stressful and we would soon be a family of three!
It was very difficult to sleep for many reasons. First of all, you are in a hospital bed, then you have to be careful how you lay down not only for the baby, but also because of the heart rate straps that are tracking the baby and you. If you move the wrong way and the tracker comes off, the alerts will sound and the nurse will rush in. Then when you get up to go to the bathroom you have to remove the cords for the tracker to the monitors and reattach them once you got back to your bed. In addition, the monitors and heart rate belts were pretty loud. We would have the nurses turn them down in our room, but inevitably the next nurse would come in and either turn them up or forget to turn off the monitors which are way to big and bright to be a night light. If you are scheduled for an induction, try to get some sleep before heading to the hospital!
Throughout the night several nurses came in to make sure everything was alright, along with the on call doctor who wanted to introduce themselves. Every time you think you are about to get to sleep another person seemingly comes in.
The most uncomfortable part for me was the IV. It was not inserted in the typical place where I get blood drawn from, but half way between my wrist and elbow.
After the relatively sleepless night it was time to await the check-in with the midwife (since I had chosen to go with a midwife delivery).
My midwife came in to check on me around 7:30 AM. The Cervidil had worked and I was 3-4 centimeters dilated. The next thing was to decide if I wanted an enema. Of course that was not something I would want in any circumstance. It sounded very uncomfortable, but I spoke to the midwife and nurses about the benefits of doing one. I was told this could jump start contractions, so I opted to do this as anything to avoid Pitocin was worth a shot. It did work and I started having contractions!
Pitocin and Epidural
At this point my midwife told me I could take some laps around the delivery wing to try to get the labor jump started. I took several laps and my contractions were coming almost every 2 minutes and lasting about a minute. Despite the frequency they opted to start the Pitocin to make sure contractions would continue and the baby would come.
The Pitocin was pretty awful. After trying to go without the epidural for a few hours, the contractions were coming so fast and hard I opted to have one. The epidural was a pretty painless process. I had a great Anesthesiologist who was very quick and did a good job. The worst part about an epidural is you can no longer stand up and move around, you have to remain in your hospital bed.
On second thought, the worst part may have been the catheter. That is very uncomfortable and pretty awkward. In addition, you are no longer allowed to drink water or eat food, only ice chips. Oh the joys of having a baby! Totally worth all of the splendors of pregnancy and labor to meet that little one, but oh so awkward at the time! Anyways, the epidural was amazing and perhaps too amazing! My midwife then allowed me to “labor down”. Basically, I took a nap for an hour or two and by the time I woke up it was time to start pushing and have a baby!
Throughout this whole process I was pumped full of fluids. In never having an IV I didn’t know what to expect. These made me very cold and I am typically a very hot person! At times I could not stop shivering, so I was layered in blankets.
Labor and Delivery!
It was finally time for the big event! It was definitely a new challenge to push with an epidural. One of the best parts of an epidural is reducing the pain, but an unintended consequence is not feeling the contractions or the act of pushing. In my circumstance I could not feel the act of pushing at the beginning of labor which made it hard to know if I was making any progress or actually pushing at all! It is hard to explain, but I could not feel anything, so when I was pushing I couldn’t tell if I was actually pushing and whether I was pushing in the right place! The nurse was supposed to dial back the epidural, but did not which caused my epidural to be too high. This can be a problem. Be sure to make sure your epidural is at the right level. The midwife caught this error and immediately fixed the issue decreasing the dose of my epidural.
Labor was a little scary . Our babies heart rate was dropping when I was pushing… My midwife called the doctor on call to be prepared to come in for a c-section or vacuum as I was having a hard time pushing and feeling the contractions from the epidural. Boy did that scare me! I pushed and pushed and pushed with my amazing coaches, my husband and Mom, along with my midwife who truly was the best and helped ensure I had a safe and vaginal delivery.
Within 30 minutes of active labor my precious baby girl was born vaginally and it was all worth the wait, pain and everything else endured in those 41 weeks. The small amount of time you will be in pain and discomfort are worth the lifetime of happiness you will receive.
My advice is accept that your birth plan can change. Make sure you stay informed throughout the whole process and question the medical staff if you think something isn’t right. Look into benefits of doctor delivery vs midwife to see what fits into your labor plan best. Most importantly no matter how awkward or painful something is it will all be over soon and you will have the best gift!
When I hear doctors appointment, the first thing I think about is the long wait in the waiting room we are all accustomed to. Well, this wait is even longer…. You may have to wait 5 or more weeks like I did when you use an early response pregnancy test. Let the waiting begin….. I guess you should get used to it as you have 9 months of it!
5 weeks pregnant
Once you call your doctor and tell them your LMP, the waiting game begins. I would say the first several weeks until the first doctors appointment are the most nerve wrecking. My doctors office would not see me until I was 9 weeks from my LMP, so I had 5 weeks of waiting for any confirmation more than the pregnancy test I took.
Questions bombarded my head: Is there really a baby growing in me? Is he/ she OK in there? Are these symptoms normal? I don’t have any symptoms is that normal? Is it an ectopic pregnancy? If you are like me you are probably looking up what you should be feeling to confirm you do indeed have a viable pregnancy. I did that and if it puts your mind at ease, please do. However, google can seemingly increase your paranoia as it will inevitably pull up something you never even thought of!
I had absolutely ZERO symptoms for the first several weeks and really negligible symptoms the entire first trimester which actually made me more nervous! I had no nausea, which I realize I was one of the lucky few but it always made me wonder if everything was OK. These are some of the issues with the ability to look up anything and everything.
If you haven’t already, make sure you are taking your prenatal vitamin every day. I had been taking vitaPearl, but now I just take the NatureMade Prenatal Multi + DHA. You can find these at Costco for about $15 for 150 pills. vitaPearl was originally covered by my insurance, but when I switched to a new prescription insurance the monthly cost went from $5 to $60! So Costco it was!
In the weeks up to that first doctor’s appointment make sure to take your prenatals every day, change your diet if you need to (cut out alcohol and smoking if you do either), eat healthy and keep up your daily routine and exercise. You can also make the decision if/ when you would like to tell your family or very close friends about your pregnancy.
Once we found out we were pregnant we had a busy schedule before the first doctors appointment, with two out of state trips already planned and a 5K we were signed up for. In being the first pregnancy I was sure to google if it was safe for me to fly and I spoke to my Doctor on the phone who told me it would be fine and to keep up my normal routine of running (since my body was used to it). Of course, I was still nervous to fly and was careful not to lift anything too heavy.
Our trips went great and I even started a tradition of picking up an outfit or a book from each place we visited for our new addition. Several cities have books specific to them designed for babies, which I looked for each trip.
Don’t worry the elusive wait will be over soon and you will be able to confirm your pregnancy!
Have you ever wanted to see a whale up close? Well, lucky for you it is that time of year!
Whale Watching Tour
Pacific Whale Foundation Sunrise Tour
If you happen to go to Maui during whale watching season which runs from November through the end of February, consider signing up for a whale watching tour.
Pacific Whale Foundation
We went on a sunrise cruise with the Pacific Whale Foundation in Ma’alaea. I choose the sunrise cruise as the water was supposed to be calmer (I can sometimes get car sick when in cars) so I wanted to make sure I would have a lesser chance of feeling sick on the cruise.It is about an hour and a half tour.We boarded the boat before the sun rose, as this tour included watching the sunrise on the ocean.The sunrise was spectacular as was the cruise.
Pacific Whale Foundation Sunrise Tour
The whale activity started off slow, but continued to build until we had to go back to the dock. The guides were amazing and taught us a lot about whales, their habits and even chased some for us to see up close. The tour guides said we were very lucky as we saw a lot of whales.We even saw two males showing off and competing against one another for a female whales attention.It was very cool to watch.It was an experience my husband nor I will ever forget and definitely one of the most memorable on our trips to Hawaii. Don’t worry if you don’t get to see a whale on the tour you book, they will let you go on another cruise for free within a year. You can check out their whale watching cruises here:
Pacific Whale Foundation also has a great gift shop to go into either before or after your tour. Once you see those whales, I am sure you will want to support the non- profit foundation and whales so stop in and see if anything grabs your attention. We bought a few items to not only support the whales, but to as souvenirs to remember this amazing experience of being so close to such extraordinary animals.
Run & Walk for Whales 5K
If you are an active person like myself, when you go on vacation you may be looking for a 5K, 10K or even a half or full marathon.We were lucky to find the Run & Walk for Whales 5K the weekend we were there. It typically happens around the first weekend in February, so if you happen to be in town that weekend check it out.
Looking for something truly magical this Christmas season? Take a drive to Asheville and experience Christmas at the Biltmore.
This was our third trip to the Biltmore Estate, the first and third trip we toured the Biltmore House and the second trip we just enjoyed the grounds. The first time we visited they were not allowing photos during the home tour, but at this time they are allowing them on self- guided tours.
The Biltmore is approximately 180,000 square feet and is the largest privately owned home in the United States. It is truly breathtaking to see and pictures do not do it justice.
At Christmastime there is a 55-foot spruce tree on the front lawn decorated with thousands of twinkling lights. They do not turn the tree lights on until later in the day, near dusk.
If you visit for the candlelight evenings, the tree is lit and illuminates the whole front yard. They also place bags with tealights all the way around the drive for the evening tours.
Through January 6th there are two general ticket options to enter the Biltmore House, either Christmas Daytime Celebration or Candlelight Christmas Evenings. Since we have visited before during the day, we decided to buy Candlelight Christmas Evenings tickets.
When you book the candlelight evening tour you have to book an entry time, even on weekdays. We planned our trip for a Tuesday but waited to book our tickets until a few days prior. By waiting we only had our choice of entry times at 8:30 PM and later. This entry time was not terrible, as we did get to eat dinner before touring the house. The Biltmore closes about an hour and a half after the last assigned tour time. As a tip, try to book your tickets earlier to get the time you would like. Also, many weekends will sell out of the candlelight tour times.
Self guided tour of the Biltmore House- Candlelight Evenings
As you enter the home they have booklets you can take on your self- guided tour that provide a brief description and history of each room. You can also pay for an audio guide which will provide a more in depth verbal description of each room of the Biltmore for $12.99, the desk to rent these is located on the right once you walk in.
Most rooms will also have a knowledgeable employee who you can ask additional questions to, regarding the history of the home or the room you are currently in.
One reason we chose the Candlelight Evenings was to enjoy the choir and soloists playing within the house. This added to the magical experience. Most rooms had a fireplace that was lit and the sparkling Christmas lights made the night truly special. When you first walk into the house the Entrance Hall is beautifully decorated with garland. My absolute favorite rooms were the following:
Winter Garden
If you walk to the right when you enter the house you will see the beautiful Winter Garden. We spent a lot of time around this room. The choir was singing in the center and there were a few soloists here too. We enjoyed listening to the music as well as touring the rooms around the garden.
Winter Garden
Banquet Hall
This room is truly royal and has ceilings that are seven- stories high. The real Christmas Tree is nearly 40 feet tall and adds to the splendor of the room.
Banquet Hall
Live Tree in Banquet Hall
Breakfast Room
This room features two paintings by Renoir: Child with an Orange and Young Algerian Girl.
Breakfast Room
Breakfast Room with two paintings by Renoir
Music Room
This room was completed in the 1970’s and includes 12 apostle figures and 12 candlesticks made in the mid 1700’s.
12 Porcelain Apostle Figures and 12 Candlesticks made in the mid 1700’s
Library
There are thousands, upon thousands of books that encompass this room. It is about half of the original collection George Vanderbilt had. We stood in this room for several minutes enjoying the marvelous decor and number of books lining the shelves. It makes you want to take one of the myriad of books and sit by the fireplace to read.
Library
These rooms were all located on the first floor, so be sure to take your time enjoying them. The other areas of the home were beautifully decorated too and it is amazing to think about how many staff it took to run this house back in the early 19th century when it was running.
George Vanderbilt’s bedroom
For the size of this home, we were surprised about the size of the bedrooms and closets. While his bedroom was not tiny, we would have expected a larger space and bed considering the square footage of the home.
George Vanderbilt’s bedroom
Edith Vanderbilt’s bedroom
Edith Vanderbilt’s bedroom
Louis XV Room
This room is decorated in french woven silk velvet wall coverings. Both Edith and Cornelia gave birth to their children in this room.
Louis XV Room
Main Kitchen
The copper pots hanging are the original.
Main Kitchen
Gymnasium
As I mentioned before this was our second time actually touring the home. I feel like we saw more rooms this time and at the end there was an exhibit we had definitely not seen before.
Halloween Room
This was a very unique room that I do not remember seeing on our last visit. Cornelia Vanderbilt, her husband and other family and friends helped paint the walls in this room for a party. This room also housed various displays of pictures and history further describing the numerous individuals involved in building and designing the home. It’s amazing that George Vanderbilt built a railroad to run directly to the Biltmore for transportation of building materials, along with setting up building on site to produce materials. It’s amazing that in the late 1800’s it only took 6 years to build such a magnificent and beautiful home.
In addition to all of these rooms there are many, many more to see. Hard to believe right? I would allow at least a few hours to tour the home so you will not feel rushed and you can thoroughly enjoy and explore each room.
If you are doing only the evening tour take some time to enjoy the grounds and shops either the afternoon before your tour or the day following. While it is fall/ winter at the Biltmore, unfortunately missing their beautiful springtime gardens, the Conservatory sure is a sight to see! There are so many beautiful and colorful flowers and plants which truly bring life to the winter season.
Conservatory
If you are staying on the Biltmore Estate, which I strongly recommend, they have a shuttle that runs every 15 minutes from the hotels to the other areas on the Estate. The shuttles are great as the drivers are extremely knowledgeable. Every ride we took we learned a lot about the Biltmore history, feel free to ask them questions too! Plan to wait for the shuttle 30-45 minutes before your assigned time to allow time in case you miss the shuttle and have to wait an additional 15 minutes and to allow time for the stops on the way. You also cannot use any of the 43 bathrooms that are in the actual Biltmore house so you will want to use the public restrooms before entering the house.
Tickets for this special time of the year are more expensive than usual entry prices. If you book at least a week ahead of time you can get a discount on their website. Costco was also selling a two day pass (has to be consecutive days) for less than $65. This was for Daytime access, but you could pay an upgrade fee of around $25 to also visit during the Candlelight Evenings.
In addition to the house, Antler Village has restaurants, shops and the winery to visit. I will go into more detail on these activities in my next post. You also get a free wine tasting included with your entry ticket to the Biltmore.
If you have the chance I would visit the Biltmore in the spring to enjoy the gardens and the winter to enjoy Christmas at Biltmore. Merry Christmas!
The hot summer days have come to an end, planning and cooking for Thanksgiving are over and now it is time for the most festive time of the year, the Christmas season! I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…. Perhaps we don’t want to wish for that in Atlanta, nobody wants to get stuck on the roads for hours if that happens!
Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden
We have been lucky as the beginning of December started off unseasonably warm in Atlanta, which means we may have longer to enjoy the fall leaves and colors! Just this past weekend we spent the day in Piedmont Park and took some incredible pictures of the changing leaves. If you haven’t done that this season, I would head their soon before all the beautiful leaves fall and are subject to our numerous leaf blowers!
Piedmont Park in early December
If you are looking for ideas of what to do in Atlanta this season, here are a few of our favorite:
1.) Enjoy the evening at Christmas with Atlanta Master Chorale at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory University– This has to be one of our absolute favorite things to do this time of year. This year the concert is December 15-16th (Saturday and Sunday). They are absolutely wonderful and this has been a yearly tradition for us the past 5 years. Their voices are heavenly and there is nothing better than spending the night listening to them sing.
Atlanta Master Chorale Program 2017
2.) Stroll through the Garden Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens– This is yet another one of our favorite traditions. We finally became members this year and every season the gardens surprise us with something new. I don’t know how they continue to make Garden Lights prettier every year. You can even enjoy a cocktail as you stroll through the garden in the evening. One of our favorite areas last year (which they have this year too) was Nature’s Wonders which includes 1,600 strands of lights with over 70,000 color changing lights that are synchronized to music and motion. Definitely a must see this holiday season!
Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden- Nature’s Wonders
Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden
3.) See a show at the Fox Theatre– We saw Irving Berlin’s White Christmas this year which was amazing! Unfortunately the last show for White Christmas has aired at the Fox, but you can still catch the Nutcracker and other shows to get you into the Christmas spirit this month.
Fox Theatre
4.) Join the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for their annual weekend of Christmas with the ASO. This year it will be held on December 8th and 9th with two shows each day at 3 and 8pm. A perfect time to enjoy Christmas carols and hymns!
5.) Attend Brookhaven Holiday on the Town– This is a great smaller holiday gathering, which includes Santa, reindeer (yes actual reindeer!), sleigh rides, store specials, Christmas tree lighting and more! It takes place in Town Brookhaven which is a smaller community allowing you to avoid crowds yet still see Santa (without reservations) and enjoy the holiday spirit.
Holiday on the Town at Town Brookhaven Reindeer
Holiday on the Town at Town Brookhaven
6.) Drive to Christmas at the Biltmore– If you have time this holiday season take a drive out to Asheville North Carolina, which is about a 3 to 3.5 hour drive from Atlanta to visit the Biltmore House. It is about 180,000 square feet (unbelievable, right?), has 65 fireplaces, a Banquet Hall with 70-foot ceilings and so much amazing history and priceless artifacts within. It is truly a magical place this time of year so book your stay and tickets early! You can choose between the Christmas Daytime Celebration and the Candlelight Christmas Evenings or do both. The daytime and evening visits are beautiful, but if you would like to hear a live choir, soloists, view the house in candle light and enjoy the enormous spruce tree lit up in front of the house than the evening self guided tour is for you. You can choose to take a tour, rent an audio guide or do the self guided tour yourself. We did the self- guided tour this time, as we have already taken a tour on a previous visit. We read about each room through the pamphlet you can pick up at the entrance and there are knowledgeable guides in most rooms that can assist you with any questions and give you more information. Also, don’t miss the conservatory which is filled with absolutely beautiful and colorful plants which certainly brighten your stay in winter.
Christmas at the Biltmore- View of Biltmore House at night
Christmas at the Biltmore- Winter Garden
Christmas at the Biltmore- Foyer
Christmas at the Biltmore- Library
Christmas at the Biltmore- Conservatory
7.) Attend Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare Tavern– The Atlanta Shakespeare Company has been performing this show for over 20 years. You can order food and beverages before the show to enjoy before or during the show and they offer drinks and desserts at Intermission. They do not sell food during the actual performance. You buy seats in a particular seating area and then it is first come first serve for the actual seat in that seating area once you arrive. If you would like a better seat, try to arrive close to when the doors open.
Shakespeare Tavern- A Christmas Carol
Shakespeare Tavern- A Christmas Carol
8.) Ice Skate at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park- Enjoy a daytime or evening skate at the rink at Park Tavern. If going during the daytime you can enjoy views of the midtown skyline and Piedmont Park while staying warm under the heated tent.
Park Tavern Ice Skating Rink
9.) Watch the Budweiser Clydesdales- They are making a one time appearance in Town Brookhaven on Saturday December 15th. They are arriving at around 3PM and participating in a parade around the town. I have never seen them, but this is something I will not miss!
There are so many more wonderful events going on in Atlanta this season, but these are just some of my favorites. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Oh Sausalito, you steal my heart every time I visit. It is truly a picturesque city on the bay and similar to the beautiful villages on the rugged coastline of Italy. Whether staying in the city for a few nights or visiting for the day here are some of our favorite things to do.
1.) Eat or have a drink at The Barrel House– Our absolute favorite place to grab a bite to eat in Sausalito.Put your name in for a table outside even if there is a long wait, it will not disappoint.My favorite spot is at the bar outside that overlooks the bay and the San Francisco skyline. I could sit here for hours with one of their delicious cocktails or entrees and just take in the gorgeous views.
Barrel House
Barrel House- View from seats on outside deck
2.) Stay at Inn Above the Tides- Splurge for a truly serene and unparalleled experience.Book a room with a balcony and enjoy every moment as you sit above the bay and enjoy the amazing views.We have stayed here twice in the same room, Queen with a balcony.
Inn Above the Tides
Inn Above the Tides- View of Sausalito from balcony
3.) Take a walk along the waterfront– Take a stroll along the water and enjoy the cool bay breeze hitting your face, the vast views of the bay and rolling hills with homes scattered across. There are several benches along the way you can stop at to enjoy the picturesque village and water views.
Relaxing on a bench in Sausalito
Walking path in Sausalito and view
4.) Go for a run! One of our favorite runs was to Moore Rd Pier. The views here are just spectacular and the run itself had several pretty vantage points. We are avid runners and having a chance to experience new and beautiful scenery when running is a runners dream. On a clear day grab a selfie on Moore Rd Pier, you won’t regret it. We have had the picture taken here on display for two years.
Golden Gate Bridge Vista
Golden Gate Bridge Vista
5.) Get lost in the shopping– Whether you are looking for a shirt or souvenir that says Sausalito, shopping for boutique clothing or art, or even shopping for children’s clothes there is a shop for in this quaint city for you. There is even a Christmas store, called The Holiday Shoppe if you collect ornaments from all the places you visit like I do. Jewelry by the Bay is a great store to pick up some jewelry, or other unique accessories. I bought a hair clip here that I have received compliments on every time I wear it. If you are looking for some cute baby clothing, look no further than Cha Cha Cha. I am expecting a little girl and on the last trip to Sausalito I really found some great deals and adorable clothes here.
6.) Take a picture with the Golden Gate. There are a few options from the Sausalito side of the bridge to get great photos at. Our favorite spots are Battery Spencer and the Golden Gate Bridge View next to the Lonely Sailor Statue. The view at Fort Baker is a great vantage point as you are level with the Golden Gate. The view by the statue is below the Golden Gate, but still beautiful. I would try going when the skies are clear, but if you are on limited time it is still worth going no matter the weather.
7.) Visit the Avenue of the Giants– Muir Woods is only a short drive away. If you have time, I would not miss these big beautiful trees. There is nothing like staring up those huge trunks in awe of how big and old they are.
Muir Woods
8.) Take the Ferry across the bay to San Francisco. When else are you going to have the opportunity to cross the Bay, passing Alcatraz while enjoying views of the Golden Gate? If you are not staying in San Francisco at all on your trip this is also a great way to travel into the city to spend the day or a few hours. You can not only miss the traffic but the headache of the Golden Gate Toll.
Ferry to San Francisco
9.) Visit wine country! Downtown Sonoma is about 50 minutes and Downtown Napa is about an hour. There are so many amazing wineries to visit that you will most likely want to add a separate leg to your stay to experience them. If commuting from Sausalito, be sure to take a tour, hire a driver or use a ride share so your commute will be safe after the wine tastings.
These are just a few of the many things you can do in Sausalito, but this quaint city is definitely worth a stop on your Northern California trip!
Enjoy the hustle and bustle of San Francisco, but truly desire the tranquility of the Sausalito area with views of the bay? Consider Mill Valley, just a short drive away.
In the 8 trips we have taken to Northern California it is always a debate on where to stay. While some trips we have stayed in both San Francisco and Sausalito there are trips where you want to combine both of the cities into one segment so you can see other parts of beautiful California.
We have stayed in Sausalito a few times and have loved our time there, but not the price tag of the location. There are few hotel options here, which helps drive the price tag up. As an alternative there are many places that are a short drive from Sausalito, one being Mill Valley.
While we have considered staying in Mill Valley a few times, we always decided we didn’t want the extra hassle of driving into Sausalito. If only we knew what we had been missing out on! This trip we made the decision to stay at the Acqua Hotel in Mill Valley and it is not to be missed! We booked the first two days of our vacation here and loved it so much that we returned for the last night of our trip. Who wouldn’t love this view, right?
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- View from balcony
Acqua Hotel
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Front of hotel
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Lobby
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Lobby
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Back of hotel
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- View of hotel rooms
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Outside
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Enclosed space with fire pits
The view from the back of the hotel was just beautiful and so serene.
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Outside patio view
Complimentary Breakfast
The hotel provides complimentary breakfast and everyone in our party agreed it was the best we had on our trip. Each of the 3 hotels we stayed at offered a complimentary breakfast. The breakfast was served on the second floor. You could sit at one of the many tables inside, or you could bring your breakfast on the patio outside on the first or second level. There was also an all glass enclosed area on the 2nd floor that had gas fireplaces. You could enjoy the beautiful views while staying warm when the wind picks up, which we all know that bay breeze can be chilly!
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast (Scrambled eggs, sausages and veggie frittata)
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast (Bagels, breads, pastries)
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast (Cereals)
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast (Waffle maker)
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast (hard boiled eggs and yogurts)
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast (Toppings for oatmeal)
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary breakfast
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Breakfast Area
Complimentary Wine and Cheese
There was wine and cheese served at 5 pm which was looked forward to every day. One wine they served I am told was truly amazing and rivaled if not beat the taste of several wineries we visited this trip.
We were lucky to have stayed during some beautiful weather and one night we enjoyed the wine, crackers and cheese on the patio outside. The other nights we enjoyed them in the glass enclosed area on the second floor, with the fireplaces turned on. We were able to watch the sunset and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful water views from here. Surprisingly the heat retention in the enclosed area was great!
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary wine and cheese reception
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- View from tables outside at wine and cheese hour
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Wine and cheese hour by the firepits
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- View from enclosed space with firepits
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- View from 2nd level of hotel
Complimentary Fresh Baked Cookies
At 7 pm warm cookies were served in the lobby, which were delicious and something we always looked forward to.
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Complimentary cookies in evening
Junior Suite Fireplace
We reserved a Junior Suite Fireplace which is located on the 3rd floor. The king bed was very comfortable. There was a small living area in the room which we used to store our luggage.
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Junior fireplace suite
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Junior fireplace suite
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Junior fireplace suite
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- View from room
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- View from balcony
The bathroom was spacious and had a tub and a separate walk-in shower. There were dispensers in the shower containing shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I enjoyed this as you didn’t have to try to squeeze out the last bits of shampoo from the small bottles typically provided, but you could use as much as you wanted.
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Junior fireplace suite
Acqua Hotel Mill Valley- Junior fireplace suite
Sausalito is less than a 10 minute drive from the hotel. You can easily enjoy either the beautiful seaside town or take the ferry across to San Francisco. You are also only about a 20-30 minute drive to Muir Woods.
Both Guadalupe and Judy, the sales manager provided amazing customer service and made our stay absolutely perfect! This stay was part of our anniversary trip and they sure went out of their way to make it special with a bottle of wine and some delicious chocolates.
We would definitely return and we are sad we didn’t find this gem sooner!
Where to stay in sunny San Diego?There are so many beautiful areas to see and so many things to do.We have been to San Diego twice and both times we have stayed in the Gas Lamp Quarter.The first time it was an easy decision since we were travelling for a conference and it was at the Hard Rock Hotel where we had a negotiated rate.
The second trip was for pleasure and this was a much harder decision.I did a lot of research on where to stay.We were ultimately very torn between staying in downtown San Diego and La Jolla.When we had visited last time our favorite place was La Jolla and we were in awe of it’s beauty.
A few criteria we were looking for were: newer hotel, beachfront, rooftop pool/ bar and a convenient location to restaurants as we did not want to rent a car.In searching for these amenities, I quickly learned we would not be able to have them all.We decided on the Pendry, as this hotel had recently opened in 2017, among other features.We are huge fans of new hotels, who isn’t?Another feature we look for in a hotel room is a walk in shower. The Pendry’s shower is very unique, having glass on three sides and situated in the center of the room. Now don’t worry if you plan to share the room with someone you would like privacy from while showering, there is a curtain you can pull around the entire shower.
Additional perks added to our stay
After booking the hotel, with my type A personality I wanted to double check to make sure we made a good decision in staying at the Pendry and shouldn’t consider another hotel.While doing my due diligence I stumbled across a website/ travel agent that offered added benefits through Virtuoso when staying at the Pendry, all I had to do was email them.I was skeptical as the benefits were amazing.They included a $60 credit for breakfast (for two) and an additional $100 credit for the stay.We were staying 3 nights so the benefit came to $280.While I was told by the travel agent that there was no guarantee that the benefits would be applicable, depending on how we had booked the hotel, I thought I would give it a chance!Sure enough the perks were added.The only hiccup was when the reservation was amended the price changed, so I had to call the Pendry.I explained the situation and they immediately apologized and fixed the price.At that moment I knew we had made the right decision as the customer service and ease was amazing.
Pendry San Diego- Exterior
Pendry San Diego- Lobby
Our stay at the Pendry was 5- star service all the way, starting from the moment we entered the hotel to the moment we left. We had just recently found out we were pregnant and when the hotel asked if we were celebrating something special we told them about our “new addition”!The first night they surprised us with a very thoughtful note and two delicious cupcakes, one pink and one blue (since we didn’t know if we were having a boy or girl yet).They were the best cupcakes I have ever had.
Pendry San Diego- Sweet surprise in room
Pendry Hotel Room
The hotel room was not huge but it was done very well.The colors in the room were very calming and the space was used efficiently.Our favorite bed is typically the Ritz Carlton, but this bed seemed just as nice.We slept wonderfully each night.The shower was very spacious and had two different shower heads.Only one worked at a time but it was great to switch between the two.There were two additional doors around the shower, one kept the loo in it’s own room and there was a sliding door to keep the area where you left the shower, next to the sink private.
Pendry San Diego- King guestroom
Pendry San Diego- King guestroom
Pendry San Diego- King guestroom shower
Pendry San Diego- King guestroom shower
Pendry San Diego- King guestroom sink
Pendry San Diego- Turn down service
Pendry Pool
The pool is on level 3, along with the fitness center and the spa.The chairs surrounding the pool are very comfortable and there is bar service at the pool.While we were there they had a Chandon party which was fun, while I couldn’t partake in the champagne I drank sparkling water instead.They had a DJ there, it was part of their Sunday pool parties.The weekend we were there it was sponsored by Vivue Cliquot.They had umbrellas, pillows, champagne glasses and of course tons of their champagne for sale.
Pendry San Diego- Pool
Restaurants on site
There were 6 different restaurants on site.We meant to try more than just two, but that’s all we had time for during our stay.The credit for our breakfast was good for Provisional.One of the best parts of our day was breakfast there.For the $60 credit we would try to maximize it as much as possible.We varied our meal each day for the most part but every day we did order the market berries and sliced avocado. The market berries were amazing they tasted so fresh.Each morning we would get a cup of the complimentary coffee provided by Provisional before sitting down, so there was $60 available for just food.Let me just say we ate very, very well.Our entrees rotated and we tried the Create Your Own Omelette, Bourbon Banana French Toast, Pendry Breakfast, Nutella roll and Pain A Chocolate which were all great.We happened to take back the Nutella Roll and Pain A Chocolate back to our room each morning to enjoy as a snack later in the day.
For the $100 credit we ate at Provisional for dinner, since we enjoyed our breakfast so much.The dinner was good, but breakfast was better.
Pendry San Diego- Breakfast at Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile
Pendry San Diego- Complimentary coffee
Pendry San Diego- Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile
Pendry San Diego- Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile
The hotel is located in the Gas Lamp District, which is a very happening area of San Diego. You can walk to tons of restaurants, stores and even Petco Park, where the Padres play. You also have a short walk to the Embarcadero and Seaport Village, a very cute area on the water to shop at.
Surprise gift after our stay
The first class service did not end when we left San Diego. About a week after we got home we received a package from the Pendry. Inside were a few wrapped presents and a sweet note. There were two bears, one dressed in a pink Pendry shirt and one in a blue Pendry shirt for our sweet new addition (we did not know gender, as it was too early). There was also a onesie that said Pendry San Diego Baby. The thoughtful gesture will not be forgotten and truly made not only that vacation extra special, but also this extremely special time in our lives! A special thank you to Alyssa for making our stay so memorable!
Pendry San Diego- Surprise present sent to our home
Planning a trip to Sonoma or Napa for Harvest and need a hotel? Look no further than one of the newest most reasonably priced hotels for the value, Hotel Trio in Healdsburg. They just opened a few months ago, and we had the pleasure of staying here earlier this month.
It was quite a debate on where to stay in wine country as we were only staying for 2 nights and wanted to visit wineries in all different AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas). Healdsburg is a great option as it is located near Alexander Valley, and who doesn’t love a great Cabernet from this AVA? It also provides direct access to Napa. If you don’t know, it can be kind of tricky traveling between Napa and Sonoma. If you are wanting to visit both areas you can either spend a few nights in each area or try to stay next to one of the roads that cross over to the other. There is a mountain range between Sonoma and Napa so you have to take CA-128 through Alexander Valley, Petrified Forest Road which you can access through Calistoga if coming from Napa or CA-12. We took CA-128 so we could visit some wineries in Alexander Valley as we crossed from Sonoma to Napa Valley.
The best part about this hotel is that it is new and has not become as expensive as most of the other hotels in the region. If you have been to this area before you know how pricey rooms can be, even when the hotel is 20+ years old.
The entrance of Hotel Trio
Hotel Trio- Interior lounge area
We were able to book two rooms at $199 per night (not including taxes/ fees) for two nights and we did this last minute. It was a little risky since it was a popular travel time, but we took the chance based on the trends we were seeing. When we arrived at the hotel it far exceeded our expectations. We had the Studio, 1 King, Sofa bed. There was a full kitchen, with a refrigerator, small cooktop, microwave, sink, and cabinets full of plates, silverware, pots, pans, bowls, and glasses, basically everything you could need on a getaway.
Hotel Trio- Kitchen
Hotel Trio- Kitchen supplies (plates, glasses, strainer, pyrex dish and measuring cup)
Hotel Trio- Kitchen supplies (silverware)
There was a nice breakfast bar that had two stools to sit on. The living room had a couch and a desk.
Hotel Trio- Living room
Hotel Trio- Living room and desk
There was a large TV on the dresser which swiveled to face the living room or the bedroom. Since this was a studio the bedroom, living room and kitchen were all open to each other. The king size bed was extremely comfortable, and the room was very quiet. We could not hear any of the other guests.
The door to the bathroom was a sliding door, very modern.
Hotel Trio- Sliding door to bathroom
In the bathroom there was an area to put makeup on as you first walk in, which of course I loved having that extra space.
Hotel Trio- Additional mirror and space in bathroom
Hotel Trio- Bathroom (Additional mirror and space in bathroom, makeup nook)
The closet was located in the bathroom, across from the additional mirror. There was a little shelf on the wall above the sink, which I also felt added something most hotels don’t include. I was able to put my toiletries on the shelf and not by the sink avoiding any water that inevitably splashes.
Hotel Trio- Bathroom sink
The walk-in shower was large, with a sliding door.
Hotel Trio- Shower
Every morning they offer a very generous complimentary breakfast. The hours vary from weekday to weekend. Monday- Friday breakfast is served from 6:30 am-9 am and Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 am-10 am.
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Scrambled eggs and egg whites, bacon and sausage)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Toppings to add to your eggs, including tortillas to make a breakfast burrito)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Variety of fruits)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Yogurts, fruits, cheeses and hard boiled eggs)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Waffle station)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Variety of condiments)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Cereal and oatmeal station)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Cooked oatmeal)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Bagels, bread and pastries)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Cold Brew)
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Breakfast (Fruit juices)
There was a nice pool and lounge area outside. Great place to hang out if you have had enough wine tasting for the day.
Hotel Trio- Pool
Hotel Trio- View of pool from room
There were several tables set up outside that you could either eat breakfast at or enjoy later in the day when the sun would hit that area.
Hotel Trio- Patio
There were two grills that could be used if you wanted to spend the evening in.
Hotel Trio- Grill
During the day you could partake in bocce by the pool area. If you wanted to play at night they had lighted bocce balls you could ask for from the front desk.
Hotel Trio- Bocce Court
In addition to all of this there were a few fire pits, which can definitely be used in the cooler evening nights in Healdsburg.
Hotel Trio- Firepit/ Patio
There is also a small fitness area in case you want to workout on your vacation.
Hotel Trio- Fitness Center
Hotel Trio- Fitness Center
Hotel Trio- Fitness Center
Hotel Trio- Fitness Center
Two nights a week they offer complimentary wine tasting. There is also a bar downstairs.
Hotel Trio- Bar
The concierge Ramon was fantastic. He really knows wine country well, and can offer suggestions based on what types of wine or what types of experiences you would like. He also made our Anniversary trip so special by having the chef make two small desserts for my husband and I to share. He also put balloons in our room with a special card. It really added a special touch to our stay. Thank you Ramon!
Hotel Trio- Anniversary balloons
Anniversary Dessert
The location of the hotel is great. There is a super market right across the street to stock your hotel room with. Then downtown Healdsburg is only about a 5 minute drive. Need not worry if you want to wine taste downtown the hotel does offer shuttle.
Hotel Trio- Complimentary Shuttle to Downtown Healdsburg
This is our 8th trip to Wine Country and definitely one of our favorite hotels in this area. We would come back again!
The experience and excitement of PCD started well before we left for Spartanburg, S.C. Shortly after we ordered our car my husband mentioned Performance Center Delivery and that we should look into it. I did a little research and I was in! We reached out to our dealer, who said he was going to suggest we do this as we live only a few hours from Spartanburg. Our dealer set it up for us and all we needed to do was confirm the date worked for us. I was excited and nervous to go on a track for the first time and of course elated to pick up our brand new car! I did not know what I would be getting myself into, nor that it would be one of the greatest and most memorable experiences of our lives!
Anticipation of PCD
After looking up PCD in both the US and Germany (they offer European Delivery too- which also looks amazing), I decided I wanted to do something unique for our trip by buying or creating matching t-shirts. I looked online for awhile, found a few shirts that we really liked but of course were no longer sold. I then looked into the process of having one made. I found an image online we really liked and contacted the graphic artist, Vanisara to see if she either made shirts or if we could use her design to print one. She was so nice, and let us use the design. If you like this design she has a few other awesome BMW designs that you can check out at: www.vanisara.com/alphabet-paper-project/
I used photoshop elements to change the color of the M and make a few adjustments. We also wanted to incorporate our two cars the M3 and M40i on the shirt, so I created our sleeve graphics in photoshop. I tried to create the stripes as close to the Motorsport colors as I could. Finally, came the back of the shirt which took a little more creativity. I created the Motorsport symbol in photoshop, added the three thin lines representing the colors and then came up with the slogan “Welcome to Motorsport”.
As PCD was rapidly approaching we determined what else we may need for the course. We bought a GoPro to capture our driving experiences as we had never done anything like this before, along with a car mount. At exactly 3 weeks out we booked our one way flight to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP). We were told not to book our flight until 3 weeks before your delivery date as there may be unforeseeable circumstances that may cause a change in your delivery date. We also booked a night at the Village Inn at the Biltmore to stay the night after we completed PCD on our drive home.
If you have any questions about PCD, the customer service team is very responsive. You can email: PerformanceCenterDelivery@bmwmc.com
Arrival at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
We received 5 star customer service from the moment we landed in Spartanburg, S.C. I called the Marriott once we landed and told them we were with BMW Performance Center Delivery, they took our name and said the driver would be there in 10-15 minutes. By the time we exited the airport the driver was already waiting outside by a white X5. Our driver helped us put our bags in the car and was very energetic about what we had to look forward to the next day.
Greenville Marriott
Once we arrived at the hotel we were greeted by the bellman who took our bags and ushered us to the front desk. He also offered to make reservations at Artisan, the restaurant where we were able to have a complimentary 3- course meal. Every individual we came in contact with provided great customer service and greeted us with a smile. It certainly made a difference in our trip! The front desk clerk gave us our welcome packet, room keys and a complimentary drink ticket for each of us to use at the restaurant. The bellman took us up to our room with our bags. Our flight was after work and we arrived at the hotel around 9:30 PM. The 3- course meal was offered in the restaurant until 10 PM so we headed right back down for dinner.
Complimentary 3-course dinner at Artisan The service at the restaurant was nothing short of what we had received since our arrival. We were given the BMW menu, which offered many items and they all looked great.
BMW 3-Course Meal Menu
I ordered a Caesar salad, Shrimp and Grits and the Georgia Peach Cheesecake. My husband ordered the Scratch Made Soup, 5 oz Filet Mignon and Georgia Peach Cheesecake. The food was fantastic!
Caesar Salad
Shrimp and Grits
5 oz. Filet
Georgia Peach Cheesecake
Complimentary Breakfast Buffet
The next morning we had a complimentary breakfast buffet at Artisan, which began at 6:30AM. It had everything you could want from Pancakes, French Toast, Eggs, Fruit, Hash Browns to Made to Order Omelets and more. They also left a carafe of coffee on your table.
Breakfast Buffet
Breakfast Buffet- Made to Order Omelettes
Arrival at PCD
The shuttle picked us up around 7:40 AM to take us to the BMW Performance Center. The drive was fairly quick with us arriving by 8 AM. We walked into the performance center and were greeted by many BMW staff, along with two X3 M40is on the main floor. One was in the Phytonic Blue and the other was Alpine White. We ordered the X3 M40i in Alpine White, Black Vernasca Leather with Blue Contrast Stitching, Rhombicle trim, 21-inch wheels in Cerium Gray. While we were not certain this was our car, it was the exact combination we ordered. Prior to ordering our car we had not seen the Black Leather with Blue Stitching or Rhombicle trim in person. We immediately knew we had made the right decision and couldn’t have been happier with the styling!
Shortly after walking in we were welcomed to PCD and introduced to all the individuals who would be leading our day. We were divided into two groups, one group would go with the BMW Product Specialists first, who would show us how to use all the features on our cars, while the other group was going to the classroom and the track to test out a car similar to the one we ordered.
Classroom Session We went to the classroom first and learned some skills from Jim to apply to future driving, the course and what to expect for the day. Our three course instructors were Andy, Jim and Arnold. They were amazing and really made the day memorable!
Classroom Session
Time to hit the track!
We then went outside to pick out our vehicle. We had a silver X3 M40i for the first part of the day. We quickly hooked up our GoPro, so we could catch all the amazing experiences we were in store for. There were about 4 other vehicles in our group. Three were the X3 M40i and the other was an X5 M.
Time to hit the track!
Our car for the day- Silver X3 M40i
How fast can you stop with BMW ABS brakes?
The answer is VERY fast! Our first stop on the track was to test out the ABS brakes. We started off accelerating at 40 MPH and stomping on the brakes as hard as we could when we reached the specified stopping spot. It was truly amazing how quick BMWs can stop. We then progressed to 45, 50, and 55. Andy really tried to get us to punch the brakes as hard as we could- he made these exercises entertaining. It was great to learn what the car is truly capable of, especially since braking is such a huge part of my daily commute in the city. The next segment was autocross. The track was set up with cones to weave in and out of and help make the track more exciting. We were spaced out so we would be able to accelerate and take the course as fast as we wanted to. This was our first time on the track and it was amazing! We both really pushed the car and had a great time! I never knew how fun it would be to be on the track, and even more so I assume because it was not our car. I was also shocked at the power the X3 M40i has, it does not feel like an SUV at all. The 0-60 time is about 4.6 seconds (maybe faster!), and the car is very quick and nimble at the lower speeds too.
Ready to Autocross!
Time to turn off the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control)
Our next stop was the skid pad to drive without DSC (Dynamic Stability Control). This time we parked our SUVs on the side of the road and took turns going on the skid pad in a 340i.
Our group for the day!
They had two cars going on the skid pad at a time, each one with one course participant and one professional driver. I watched my husband go first and was amazed at the 360’s he did and the drifting. It was awesome watching from the side of the road as I had never seen a car do a 360 that close to me! Then I realized- I am up next, how can I do a 360 without flying off the road?!?! I have no idea what I am doing! I got into the car and adjusted the seat and mirrors and turned to Andy (professional driver) and said “how do I do what he did?” He said just listen to me and we will be all set. So we started off around the skid pad and sure enough there was my first 360! It was an amazing feeling and so much more fun than I could have imagined. I kept going and there was my 2nd 360- even better and more fun than the first. We then did some drifting and headed off the track. This was one of the most fun events for me throughout the day and I still love thinking back to it! Knowing that I had a professional driver next to me made all the difference, and a more controlled environment. Thank you Andy!
Practicing 360s together!
Skid Pad
Hot Lap- Are you ready?!?! Up next was our Hot Lap with a professional driver in an M3. We had Jim as our driver and he was phenomenal! Talk about an experience I will never forget. First of all, he was so nice and made sure we felt comfortable and safe in the car the entire time while giving us the drive of a lifetime. We started off with autocross and speeding around the entire track, then we hit the skid pad and we did at least a 360 if not more than we drifted for awhile and then left the track in the dust. A ride to remember!
360 on the Hot Lap from outside M3
360 on the Hot Lap from inside M3
Drifting on the Hot Lap
BMW X Factory Tour (BMW Manufacturing)
We followed Arnold in our X3 M40i to the factory for the BMW Factory Tour (BMW Manufacturing). I thought this would be one of my less favorite parts of the day, but it happened to be very interesting! I am so happy the tour was open for BMW owners. As we pulled up to the factory we noticed every single parking space was full and every curb had a car parked next to it. There were a few reserved spots at the front for us, but it was amazing to see how many workers were in the factory at that time!
BMW X Factory
No cameras or cell phones are allowed in the building. We entered and were greeted by our tour guide who gave us headphones and glasses to wear. She told us what to expect and how to stay safe. Our tour guide through the factory was great- she had a plethora of knowledge, kept our attention and really taught us a lot. The tour is always something I will remember and taught me a lot about my car. It truly made me proud to be a BMW owner. Every car that is manufactured in the factory is owned by someone, whether it be an individual or a dealership. It was amazing to watch each stage of the car be put together and how much effort, time and precision goes into each step. One interesting fact is that the BMW key stays with the vehicle the entire time from the moment the paint is completed on the frame.
Other Roads Course- time to off road! After leaving the plant Arnold led us over to the off roading section of the course (Other Roads Course). The first part was driving through about 2 feet of water. My husband drove through the water and it was awesome to experience this. I would never have known the capabilities of my car and that it could go through that much water without being phased.
Driving through water
Almost through the water!
We then went to a rocky hill where we were guided to balance at a 45 degree angle on two wheels! That was definitely an experience and at one point I thought we were going to tip over, but with the guidance of our instructor and the capabilities of the X3 M40i we were just fine!
The answer is no, if you lean to the right when your car is balancing on the left two wheels it will not help hold the car up, although we did try this. All of our instructors made the course not only fun but instructional.
Balancing on two wheels!
We did make it safely back onto all 4 wheels and we continued onwards down the hill. I am shocked that our car could withstand that much of an angle and not be phased.
Hill Descent Control
Our last section of the Other Roads course was testing out the hill descent feature. We drove to the top of a rocky hill and stopped. We then pushed the hill descent control and took our foot off the brake and not touching the gas either, the X3 M40i slowly and at a consistent speed made it’s way down the hill. You could increase or decrease the speed of the vehicle with the + and – buttons on the steering wheel. It is a pretty cool feature.
Complimentary Lunch We then took a break to enjoy our complimentary lunch. We didn’t know what to expect, but it far surpassed what I would have thought. We walked into the cafeteria and they had everything from burgers to chicken wraps to salad to grilled veggies to fries to dessert. I asked what our options were and the lady behind the counter said “What do you want, we will make you whatever you like.” There are limitations I am sure, but they offered many more options than just the food laid out. We enjoyed our lunch talking to other PCD drivers. Our group was from all over the Eastern part of the US.
Lunch in the Cafeteria
Taking delivery of our car!
Finally it was time to see our new car and learn all the ins and outs. Just love this car- it’s the perfect size for us, 0-60 in 4.6 seconds and it sure sounds amazing when you start it up!
Our amazing new car!
Our X3 M40i in PCD showroom
Interior of X3 M40i
X3 M40i Engine
X3 M40i Wheel and Brake Pads
Our product specialist Josh was amazing- just like all of our instructors had been. He started off with the basics for me as this was my first BMW, even though my husband is not new to the brand. I set up BMW Connect- love this feature! I can take a 360 view of my car from anywhere, which I have used multiple times now. I even took one in the PCD show room which is a cool picture I will be keeping. It is really nice when you are parked in a public area to check to see the surroundings of your vehicle remotely.
BMW Connect- Remote View in PCD showroom
BMW Connect- Remote View at night accessed from hotel room
You can also check to make sure the doors are locked, circulate air through the car, and many more things. We also set up Apple Car Play and BMW Assist while there. The wireless charging in the car is amazing, along with the pano sunroof!
There are so many security features on this car and I am so happy we got these. The car I had prior to this one had no sensors or cameras in it, and I didn’t realize how useful and how much safer cameras and sensors can make your drive. I use the parking cameras all the time and the bird’s eye view is amazing when parking the car. I will sometimes turn this on when I am pulling into a spot too.
I had been ready to order the car without the security features, but I am so glad we opted to order all of them. The lane assist, collision and self park are great options. We then learned about the different drive modes: Eco, Comfort and Sport Plus and how we could customize the driver profile with each of these. We received two keys and each key is programmed to a driver, one to myself and one to my husband. Thank you Josh for walking us through every inch and capability of our new car!
Overall, Performance Center Delivery is the way to go if you can make it work. I would not hesitate to do this again, and we have already recommended it to all of our friends and family. I have never been much of a car person, but after this experience I now look forward to getting into my car, turning it on to hear the roar of the M40i engine and am proud to be a BMW owner and an M enthusiast. Thank you to the PCD team for making this experience so memorable!
Dreaming of Hawaii…. As that refreshing fall air hits your face you know the cold winds of winter are soon to be upon us. We all know that cold gust of wind you fear as you open your front door to go outside. Your body tenses up, you brace yourself…… You open the door and…. this is the perfect time to be planning your winter getaway! I know I am thinking about it.
There are not many places that have consistent or predictable weather in the high 70’s and 80’s in the US from December to February. Hawaii typically has beautiful weather at this time of year. As everything continues to become more expensive you can stay in hotels on Maui for the same price or less than some hotels in Florida.
We have stayed on Maui twice, once on Kauai, and once on the Big Island. Our favorite island we have visited is Maui and for first time visitors I would recommend Maui as I believe it captures the essence of the islands with the convenience of the main land.
The first trip we took to Maui at the beginning of November and the second trip at the end of January/ beginning of February. In both instances we were lucky to have beautiful weather. Maui has the perfect balance of natural beauty, convenience, serenity and many activities. Having been to Florida and Arizona many times over the years there is truly something special about Hawaii. Peaceful. Serene. Tropical. Exotic. Perfectly Beautiful.
It can be a long flight, especially from my neck of the woods. Some may think if you are traveling that far why not travel to another country? In my opinion you have the best of both worlds, you have all of the conveniences of being in the US but it feels you have traveled somewhere exotic. Perhaps its the peaceful music, serene and beautiful landscape, or relaxing Hawaiian culture that always calls my heart back to Hawaii.
There are many areas to stay on Maui and the activities you want to do may influence where you want to stay. Consider what activities you would like to do, places you want to see and tours you want to take before booking your hotel. I will be adding a post on my suggestions of things to see and do in the next few weeks. While it may seem like points of interest are close on a map there are not always direct routes between them. We have booked both of our trips through Costco after much research, I would definitely consider booking through them as well.
The first trip we stayed in Lahaina/ Kaanapali at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa. As you enter the hotel you are welcomed by the friendly front guest staff who have fresh flower leis waiting for you. You can see the ocean from the grand foyer and you will also be greeted by some beautiful animals. During our stay we met a family of penguins, a blue parrot, flamingos, swans and more.
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Penguins in lobby
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Blue Parrot in lobby
The hotel was open aired. Below is a picture taken from the hallway outside our room.
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Birds eye view of lobby from our floor
The Hyatt has two nice pools. One pool was very relaxing, while the other had more going on for children/ all ages including a slide and a rope bridge over the pool . Between the two pools you could cross under a waterfall to get to their Grotto bar. There are also hammocks throughout the property which we enjoyed as well.
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa Main Pool- View from our room
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Waterfall leading to Grotto Bar
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Bridge over pool
We stayed in an oceanfront king room. The room had a beautiful view of the sunset. The hotel rooms are set back a little from the ocean. When sitting on our balcony we overlooked the swimming pool first and then the ocean. The aerial view from our helicopter ride shown below gives a good idea of the actual layout of the hotel. We also requested an extra refrigerator (separate from minibar) to hold some food we had bought from Costco. Eating out in Maui can be very expensive so we bought deli meat, cheese and rolls to have for lunch. Stopping at Costco is a must for snacks, drinks, bottled water and even some souvenirs.
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Oceanfront king bed
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Sunset from our balcony
Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa- Balcony
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Extra refrigerator we requested to hold our drinks, deli meat and cheese.
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa- Aerial view of the Hyatt from our helicopter tour
In booking the Hyatt through Costco my husband and I received free buffet breakfasts every morning. They were delicious!
Breakfast buffet
Most hotels provide a pamphlet of both complimentary as well as paid for activities. A suggestion would be to contact the hotel prior to arrival to see what they are offering or even tours you can take through the concierge. I would also do your own research as you may be able to find the tours cheaper on your own.
In front of the hotel there was a walking trail which led to Whalers Village. The shops included boutiques, souvenir stores and chains like Lululemon, Oakley and Swarovski. Throughout our stay there were also local artists set up along the path that sold their handmade items.
The oceanfront path had several restaurants set upon it, which is very convenient if you have been enjoying some delicious Hawaiian drinks throughout the day…
This resort is less than a 10 minute drive from Lahaina. This is a very cute town with everything from wonderful restaurants to small gift shops. You may also find locals who are carving tiki men statues out of wood or cracking open fresh coconuts. I would recommend buying both!
For our second trip to Maui we wanted to try out another part of the island. We were torn between the Ritz Carlton in Kapalua and finding a hotel in Wailea. The area by the Ritz Carlton was a lot more secluded but we knew the Ritz is always an amazing choice. On the other hand Wailea had a lot of convenience and was on the warmer, drier part of Maui, yet we didn’t know how the hotels would be as many were older.
After a lot of thought and research we decided to stay on the warmer side of the island Wailea, as we were traveling in January eager to escape winter for a week! This meant I now needed to do a lot of research and read about all of the hotels. As mentioned before many of the hotels were older, so I began to look for hotels with the most recent renovations. If you haven’t learned from my previous article we prefer staying at newer hotels.
Our deciding factors for a hotel were being able to view the ocean from our room, convenience and we didn’t want to break the bank. I came upon the Wailea Beach Resort which was currently undergoing a multi million dollar renovation that was slated to be done by the time we got there in January 2017. As we all know, renovations can sometimes take longer than expected. I decided to take a risk on this hotel, although the oldest property in Wailea, it was also built closest to the water as there were not as many regulations placed on hotels back then. The price was reasonable for an oceanfront room, and I loved the idea of an infinity pool in Maui! We are so happy we took the risk and stayed at a property we had never heard of.
Wailea Beach Resort- Favorite part of the day!
We booked an oceanfront room which had the most beautiful view! We would pick up breakfast at the Island Gourmet Market at the Shops at Wailea and bring it back to our room to eat on the balcony and watch the waves roll in (a post will soon be added about the restaurants we visited).
Wailea Beach Resort- Breakfast on our lanai
The room at the Marriott had been completely renovated. The beds were new and very comfortable, and trust me we can be picky! There was a walk- in shower, although due to it being an older hotel the ceilings were lower. The view was definitely the highlight and could not be beat, we were literally steps from the ocean!
Wailea Beach Resort- King oceanfront room
Wailea Beach Resort- King oceanfront room- Shower
Wailea Beach Resort- King oceanfront room- Vanity
The Marriott has a gorgeous adults only (18 and older) infinity pool that overlooks the ocean. We were able to whale watch from the pool at the end of January/ beginning of February, which was amazing! l can easily say this was my favorite pool from all of our trips and I would return just for that. It was so peaceful and serene and I feel relaxed just thinking about that experience.
Wailea Beach Resort- Gorgeous adult infinity pool
Wailea Beach Resort- Adult infinity pool
Wailea Beach Resort- Casabella at adult pool (Maluhia serenity pool)
They have two other oceanfront pools which allows all ages. If you cannot find a seat at the adults only infinity pool you can enjoy this one.
Wailea Beach Resort- Ohi Pool
We happened to be visiting during my husbands birthday and the Marriott left a spread of wine, cheese and crackers. It was so thoughtful! Of course we enjoyed this on our balcony- what better view could you have?
Wailea Beach Resort- Complimentary wine, cheese and crackers on our lanai
There was a kids pool and play area, along with two slides. We even tried out the slide once- totally worth it! It is supposedly the largest slide on Maui.
Wailea Beach Resort NALU Adventure Pool- kid’s pool
Wailea Beach Resort- Waterfall at kid’s pool
There is an oceanfront path in front of the hotel. This is perfect for a morning run, enjoy the path early as it can get crowded. The views are beautiful so be sure to take a walk on this path during your stay.
Wailea Beach Resort- Oceanfront path
Another great amenity of this hotel was the Departure Lounge. As a frequent traveler we do not find many hotels that have this. Sure, most hotels will let you keep your luggage at the concierge and occasionally let you change in the spa. This hotel actually has a lounge designed for your use once you check out of your hotel room. This is especially useful for flights from Hawaii as your flight may not leave until 9PM at night. You can maximize your day enjoying the pool and beach without having to worry about boarding a plane without a shower. We kept our luggage with the bellman, and when it was about an hour before we needed to leave for the airport we retrieved the bag we needed with our travel clothes and headed to the lounge. We were able to take showers, dry our hair, watch TV and relax before heading back to the airport. This definitely added to our enjoyment of this hotel.
Wailea Beach Resort Arrival/ departure lounge- Main area
The hotel was also a short walk from the Shops at Wailea. This is an outdoor mall that has many restaurants and shops. I will be adding a link to discuss the shops at Wailea in the next couple of weeks.
If you are looking for a place to escape winter, Hawaii is a wonderful option. I would never have thought the prices would compare to traveling to Florida with an ocean view, but they do. In addition to this, the atmosphere of Hawaii cannot be beat. Albeit a long flight, I would do it again!
The hotel or bed and breakfast you stay in Sonoma, Napa or the surrounding counties can determine quite a bit about the wineries you will visit. Traveling between Sonoma and Napa is not easy due to the adjacent mountain ranges.Every time we travel to the area I over estimate how many wineries we can visit due to the time it takes to get between the wineries I want to visit.
A suggestion would be to determine if there are any wineries that are a must before booking your hotel. If time allows it may be best to spend a few days in Sonoma and then a few days in Napa. We have stayed at several different hotels over the past few years, which I have listed below.Our main criteria for these hotels were location, which wine region we wanted to visit, quality of hotel and price. There are obviously many hotels and bed and breakfasts available, but here are a few suggestions.
The Inn is a wonderful place to stay, perfectly positioned within the heart of downtown Sonoma. The Inn blends hotel accommodations with the charm of a bed and breakfast.We had a room on the first floor with a balcony where we ate our complimentary daily breakfast which included homemade items such as egg dishes, scones, muffins, fresh fruit, cereal, coffee and tea. You can enjoy the breakfast in the common dining area or in your room as we did. In the evening there is a complimentary wine and cheese reception which runs for about an hour. You can enjoy the wine and cheese in the lobby with other guests, take it to your room or enjoy it around the hot tub on the roof.
Inn at Sonoma
The location was great since you were in the middle of Sonoma and can walk to shops and restaurants. After a day of wine tasting you will truly appreciate this convenience. Try to book a room here early to get the best rate, as it is a popular hotel and in peak season the rates can get more expensive.
This is my favorite hotel we have stayed in while visiting wine country. We have stayed here twice, hence all the photos. The hotel is picturesque and is exactly what I would picture when staying in wine country. The outside of the buildings have Ivy growing up the sides, and they are set up like a cluster of Italian cottages around a piazza and some overlooking the vineyards.
Piazza at Vintners Inn
There is a dirt trail in the back of the hotel that winds through the vineyards.My husband and I loved walking on the trail after a day of wine tasting.
Vintners Inn- Walking/ Running path through the vineyards
There is no wine and cheese reception or complimentary breakfast, but the atmosphere makes up for this.The hotel does give you a complimentary 375 mL bottle of wine per stay in your room.They also have complimentary coffee in each building on the first floor.
Vintners Inn- Complimentary 375 mL bottle of wine
A suggestion for this hotel is booking a 2nd floor room.Both times we have stayed here we reserved a room on the second floor.These rooms have a vaulted ceiling and a small balcony.Please note there is no elevator, only stairs.
Vintners Inn- Sitting area
Vintners Inn- Fireplace in our room
Vintners Inn- King Room
We requested a view of the vineyards as we wanted a more private balcony. They will not guarantee this but you can request it.
Vintners Inn- Enjoying a glass of wine on our balcony
Vintners Inn- View from our balcony on 2nd floor
While you cannot walk to restaurants or shops, they do have a restaurant onsite that is definitely worth a visit. The restaurant is John Ash & Co and they serve farm to table seasonal dishes. We have eaten here a few times and have enjoyed each meal. If you can get a table next to the window on a nice evening they will open the windows and you will have a nice view of the vineyards.
John Ash & Co- View from our table
Vintners Inn- John Ash & Co Restaurant
Since the Carano family owns Vintners Inn they also offer guests vouchers for free tastings at their winery Ferrari-Carano. Parking is free.
We stayed at the Oxford Inn & Suites on our most recent trip. While researching hotels in Napa/ Sonoma you will find most are not brand new. We do enjoy staying in newer hotels, and this time we decided we would put this as one of our top criteria for the hotel, over the convenience of staying walking distance to restaurants and shops. We also wanted a more reasonably priced hotel.
Oxford Inn & Suites- Rohnert Park
The Oxford had a wonderful complimentary breakfast.They had a buffet of bagels, toast, biscuits, eggs, sausages, bacon, oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit, eggs and even cooked made to order omelets. You can watch the chefs cook everything from the dining area as they left the wall between the kitchen and dining area open. It was nice to see that, as everything was kept very clean.
At night the hotel offered a wine and beer reception where each person received two tickets for their choice of beer or wine.There was also a soup and salad bar area during the nightly reception.
Salad and soup bar in the evening
The rooms were clean, and brand new.The bathrooms had a separate bath tub and walk in shower for the rooms with a king bed.
Sink in Bathroom
Walk in shower and bath tub
Kitchenette in room
King Bed
The customer service was great and we were upgraded to a larger suite and given a complimentary bottle of red wine to celebrate our Anniversary!
Bar and restaurant
One tip would be to ask for a room that was not over the bar area as our room could hear the noise below us. Parking is free.
Stay at this hotel if you would like a convenient location to downtown Napa. We stayed here exactly for that reason. We wanted to be able to walk to town and go to dinner after a day of wine tasting. There was a wine reception in the evening and you can bring your wine up to your room or enjoy it in the lobby area.
Maison Fleurie is another Four Sisters property in Yountville, which is a small town in Napa. For restaurant connoisseurs you may be familiar with this town as this is where The French Laundry is located. We stayed here for the location in Yountville and for the price. Typically Yountville can be quite pricey but booking early we were able to get a really good rate. Our room was small, but very quaint and clean. The customer service was great and we really enjoyed our stay. There was a complimentary homemade breakfast, very similar to the one at the Inn at Sonoma with homemade items such as egg dishes, scones, muffins, fresh fruit, cereal, coffee and tea. They also hosted wine & hors d’ oeuvres in the early evening hours.
We were able to walk to dinner, which was very convenient after a day of wine tasting. I will soon be adding a post on restaurants to eat at. Parking is free.
Mount View Hotel & Spa is in downtown Calistoga. We did wine tasting through Napa the first day we were in town and we planned to enjoy the second day in Sonoma. We chose Calistoga due to it’s location on the outskirts of Napa so we could make it to Sonoma earlier in the morning the next day. As mentioned earlier it is not easy to get between Napa and Sonoma due to the mountain ranges in between. In staying in Calistoga you are close to the Petrified Forest Rd which you can take to get from Napa to Sonoma. You can also drive up CA-128 W to get to Alexander Valley.
The hotel is situated in downtown Calistoga, so you are able to walk to get dinner in the evening or coffee in the morning. You receive a complimentary breakfast in the morning consisting of hard boiled eggs, coffee, yogurt, muffins, and a few other items. We stayed at the hotel one night and left early the next morning.
Happy Friday! My wine feature today is the Alexander Valley Vineyards Wine Club Reserve. The 2016 vintage is a blend of 80% Petite Sirah, 15% Petite Verdot and 5% Merlot. It was aged in a mix of French and American oak barrels for 18 months.
While you can buy several of their wines in stores, this is one that you can only buy through their winery. The story behind this varietal is quite unique! Every spring they host an annual Bash and Blending party for their members. Teams of members are then created to blend and create their own rendition of a wine, which is then judged. The winners blend becomes the newest vintage of the Wine Club Reserve! One day I would love to participate in this competition!
Every vintage of course is a different blend, I have been buying these for the past 3 vintages and have enjoyed them all. Can’t wait to try the 2017!
My impressions:
Pours: inky purple
Smell: blueberry cobbler, fresh dark fruits- blackberry, black cherry and a hint of blueberry, honestly it smells delicious!
Taste: black licorice, lots of tannins, bowl of dark fruits- black cherry and plum, long finish- lingers on your tongue. Cheers!
I enjoy wine not only because it is complex and delicious, but that it brings people together. Having a glass of wine is not only an experience you share with others, but one that allows a discussion. It doesn’t matter what type of wine enthusiast you are to express your opinion on the bottle, the cork, the way the wine pours, smells, swirls and tastes. This makes it a very inclusive beverage!
While I don’t live in California, I have been to wine country many times and it is one of my favorite places for the beauty, ambiance, company and of course wine. I started WyzeWine to share my opinions on wines and wineries whether they are in California, Georgia or partaking in a glass of wine at home from Trader Joes or Costco. Join my table as we embark on our wine discussion. Cheers!
You just found out your pregnant and you are ecstatic to begin this new chapter in your life! Whether you got pregnant on the first try or it took a few years this is truly a magical time.
There are probably so many items on your to do list, try not to get overwhelmed but enjoy the next 9 months. Sometimes our day to day life is too hectic to really sit back and realize that you have a miracle growing inside you and that time is fleeting.
In between all the doctor appointments, shower registries and preparing for your new arrival here are a few ideas to not only track your pregnancy but to record the next 9 months of your journey with your little one.
While doing each of these may be too demanding on your schedule, if you can fit in one or two you will appreciate it as those little miracles grow up.
Weekly/ Monthly Pictures of Baby Bump
Create a calendar invite for each week, mine was set for Sunday. Take a few pictures each week to watch your belly grow.
Short Videos of Mommy and Daddy to Baby
Make short videos (1-2 minutes) after doctor appointments or anytime for your baby as time allows. We plan to string these together and share with our daughter when she is old enough.
Baby Board
Highlights can include the baby’s developments this week or even just what you did with your baby bump the past week. You can do this weekly or monthly. Bed Bath and Beyond sells a good board to use for this, Pearhead Pregnancy Chalkboard.
Pregnancy Journal
You can create your own, or buy one in store or online. They help keep track of how you felt physically and emotionally during your pregnancy, as well as Doctor appointments, ultrasounds and your baby’s first movements. You can really add any additional details you want as well. I used The Belly Book.
Pregnancy Book
Every first time mother wants to know what she should be doing, eating, activities that should be stopped and so much more. Your Doctor will probably provide you with packets or a booklet with some general guidelines, but it is also great to buy a book to read alongside that. I have enjoyed reading “What to expect when you are expecting.” It discusses developments that happen every week, answers to common questions, what to expect during each month of pregnancy, food safety and much more.
Pregnancy App
I used Ovia Pregnancy, which was great! I first used the Ovia Fertility & Cycle Tracker while we were trying to conceive, which was very helpful. Once we became pregnant I added this app to my phone. It gives daily updates on baby’s developments, includes relevant articles and videos, tracks progress through pregnancy, has a food safety lookup feature which is so convenient and perhaps my favorite part of the app. It is especially helpful when you are out at a restaurant. There is a lookup feature for medication safety, as well as symptoms you may be having (to make sure they are normal). The app has many other great features too, so be sure to check it out.
