A trifecta of fun – creamery, vineyard, farmstead – Pennyroyal Farm is a must-visit stop when traveling to Mendocino County, California. If your idea of heaven is a place that has cute farm animals, housemade silky cheese, Pinot Noir wine, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, then you need to get yourself…
Wine Country
Wine Travel: Where to Go in Anderson Valley Wine Country
California’s Anderson Valley is known for its luscious Pinot Noir, but there is more to this serene wine country than meets the eye. My normal GO-GO-GO, anxiety-paced breath slows down almost immediately as I drive north, away from the Santa Rosa airport. The scenery quickly changes from wide open highway to narrow, windy country roads,…
Where to Eat in Mendocino County, California: The Bewildered Pig restaurant
Serving beautifully plated dishes made with fresh local ingredients in a cozy, warm setting, The Bewildered Pig is the top Urban Bliss Life Pick for Where to Eat in Mendocino County, California. “This is it?” I asked as we made a quick left turn off of the highway and almost immediately into a parking spot…
Where to Stay in Mendocino County, California: The Madrones
Visiting Mendocino County, California? The Madrones is a lovely sanctuary where you can rest peaceful between your California wine tasting and outdoor adventures! One of the things I love about traveling is the variety of accommodations available these days. Whether you choose to stay at a large, corporate, full service hotel, a private Airbnb room,…
Travel Bliss: Mendocino County, California
With a stunning scenic coastline, majestic Redwood forests, vibrant vineyards and welcoming small towns, Mendocino County, California is a peaceful oasis for travelers seeking a wide range of California adventures. From towering Redwood forests to panoramic vineyard views to stunning coastal cliffs, with busy working farms and bustling main streets in-between, Mendocino County, California is…
Open Claim Vineyards Releases First Vintage to the Public & Announces New Tasting Room Plans
Open Claim Vineyards releases first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for sale to the public this spring. Oregon has a way of finding people who were meant to be here. I fully believe there’s a magical magnetic force that once drew the pioneers out West, and that same magical magnetic force continues to draw pioneers of…
Wooldridge Creek Winery & CrushPad Creamery in Oregon’s Applegate Valley
Wooldridge Creek Winery is about more than just wine – they are also a creamery and charcuterie, set in the midst of Oregon’s beautiful Applegate Valley. For as long as I have lived in Oregon, I still find Oregonians who manage to out-Oregon even the most Pacific Northwest resident I’ve met. And I love it….
Applegate Valley Wine Tasting: Troon Vineyard (Grants Pass, Oregon)
Wine tasting in Oregon’s Applegate Valley? Plan a stop to Troon Vineyard & Winery! Oregon Wine Country is so much more than just the Willamette Valley. From the west coast to the eastern desert, from our Northern vineyards waving across the Columbia to Washington state to our Southern vineyards kissing the California border, Oregon’s diverse…
Wine Bliss: Rain Dance Vineyards in Newberg, Oregon
Llamas, an artisan shop, and wonderful wines… if you’re visiting the Willamette Valley in Oregon, be sure to stop by Rain Dance Vineyards for a truly unique wine tasting experience! When headed out toward the heart of Oregon Wine Country along my favorite main back road, Bell Road, you can’t miss the big red barn…
WINE BLISS: Woven Wineworks Pop-Up Series & Events
Family-owned and operated Woven Wineworks offers delightful Oregon wines at several pop-up series events and tastings throughout the summer. Summer in Portland, Oregon is magical. Every week and weekend is filled with food and beverage festivals, pop-up series events, cellar series events, concerts in the vineyards, movies in the vineyards… Oregon wine country blooms with…
WINE BLISS: Hanna Winery & Vineyard – A California Wine Pairing Dinner Event
Here’s a taste of what Sonoma County wine country has to offer… through the eyes of the Hanna Winery California Wine Pairing Dinner in Portland, Oregon. Sonoma, California is full of rolling vineyard hills and deep valleys, vastly different temperatures and soils, producing incredibly diverse wines. In the heart of Sonoma wine country are distinctly different…
Wine Bliss: Domaine Divio in Newberg, Oregon
Domaine Divio in Newberg, Oregon offers beautiful wine country views and delicious Burgundian style wines. Oregon wine by essence, Burgundian wine by style. That’s the motto behind Oregon’s Domaine Divio winery. Located in Newberg, Oregon, Domaine Divio is part of the Ribbon Ridge AVA – the smallest AVA in Oregon. Nestled in the Chehalem Mountains and stretching…
Wine Bliss: Oregon Wine Month Tastings, Tours, and Tips!
During Oregon Wine Month, enjoy special wine flights, pairings, and events throughout the state at participating wineries, restaurants, and event venues. May is Oregon Wine Month – an entire month devoted to the celebration of my home state’s incredibly talented, delicious, diverse wine industry! If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen some of…
Culinary Travel Bliss: Where to Eat in Walla Walla, Washington (part 2)
Wine tasting in Walla Walla? Here’s a look at three spots we dined at during our last visit, in this second installment of Where to Eat in Walla Walla, Washington. Walla Walla, Washington is an agriculture town, a college town, and, in recent years, a booming wine country. For a small town, the options for dining…
Travel Bliss: Courtyard by Marriott in Walla Walla, Washington
The Walla Walla Courtyard Marriott offers wine country travelers a modern, comfortable place to stay within walking distance of restaurants, wine tasting rooms, and shops. As Walla Walla, Washington wine country continues to grow, you’ll find a nice variety of lodging options. I’ve stayed at the adorable and cozy Sapolil House during one girls’ weekend…
Wine Bliss: Basel Cellars in Walla Walla, Washington
Basel Cellars Estate Winery in Eastern Washington offers full-bodied red wines and a stunning property on which to enjoy their wines. Happy Wine Wednesday! Washington wine country is certainly beautiful. With its towering mountains and varied terrain, the Walla Walla AVA in particular produces beautiful bold red wines. It’s not uncommon to be driving around…
Wine Bliss: Blizzard Wines Builds New Tasting Room
The Blizzard Wines new tasting room in Hillsboro, Oregon is set to open April 8 and 9, with a large patio, event space, and beautiful views of the Willamette Valley. The honor of watching someone else’s dreams come to fruition has to be one of the greatest joys in life. The first time I visited Blizzard Wines…
Wine Bliss: L’Ecole Winery in Walla Walla, Washington
Housed in an old schoolhouse, L’Ecole winery continues a 30-year tradition in producing award-winning wines in Walla Walla, Washington. Founded in 1983, L’Ecole No 41 winery is the third oldest winery in Walla Walla wine country. During our recent Visit Walla Walla trip to the booming wine region in Eastern Washington, my husband and I enjoyed a wine…
Food Bliss: Tina’s Restaurant, an Original Oregon Wine Country Dining Experience
Warm and intimate, Tina’s Restaurant in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley serves fresh wine country flavors. In late 1999, my then-boyfriend whisked me away for a romantic wine country weekend in Oregon’s relatively new, blossoming wine country. Back then, there were just a few wineries in the Willamette Valley that had tasting rooms regularly open to the…
Wine Bliss: Angela Estate Winery
In the heart of Oregon Wine Country is Angela Estate, a winery with a unique pedigree whose roots stem from South Africa, Kentucky, and Oregon. When talking about Oregon Wine Country, there is no shortage of stories involving Oregon wine industry pioneers whose wineries are now run by their children, the second-generation winery owners. Nor is there…