Breathe in the relaxation. Can you feel it?
I can relax at home pretty decently, BUT… sometimes being away from home helps me completely detach from all distractions. Chris and I find it easier to do “staycations” sometimes, for lack in ability to get long periods of consecutive days off. In Southern California, that still gives us a wide array of options!
Chris and I were able to link up our schedules for three days straight (YAY), so we took advantage and headed out to Temecula, a small town about an hour and a half from our home. Temecula is known for it’s small town vibe, and picturesque wineries; a smaller version of Napa, if you will.
We chose to stay at Ponte Vineyard Inn, a quaint little hotel with excellent, customized service. Since we were traveling mid-week, it was SUPER quiet. We were greeted with a glass of Moscato on arrival, and quickly unpacked before heading over to South Coast Winery Grapeseed Spa.
I never used to be a spa-goer. But as I started my career as a physician, and experienced more stress in my daily life, I realized how much I benefited from a total unplug and massage. I hold SO much stress in my shoulders, I wish I had a daily massage. A Swedish massage doesn’t even touch these muscles; deep tissue all the way. Chris and I relaxed in the jacuzzi prior to our massages, and then enjoyed this beautiful terrace, over champagne and chocolates.
The best part of the couple’s massage experience was just having time to be with Chris. Many spas don’t have a coed area where you can relax together, let alone a terrace with a view. It really was the perfect way to decompress and forget about our crazy, stressful jobs for a few hours.
After the sunset we made our way over to The Vineyard Rose, the restaurant at South Coast Winery. We are BIG fans of charcuterie boards. If they’re on the menu, we order them. If they’re not on the menu, we ask for them. It’s on our bucket list, to become experts on cheese and wine pairings and tastings.
It was so nice to get to bed early, knowing we had a fun day ahead of us. We closed out the evening watching Christmas movies in bed, paired with a glass of wine and chocolate covered strawberries. After a solid night’s sleep, we awoke feeling refreshed and ready to get our wine on!
The first task of the day was finding a cute outfit that I wouldn’t normally wear, because why not!? Keep scrolling to shop the look! The weather was still pretty warm in Temecula, so it was actually a perfect choice. We hit the restaurant inside of the inn for a quick breakfast, because no one should be wine tasting on an empty stomach, and then we were off… in serious style.
I struggled with the idea of using Uber the entire day we were wine tasting, because I was concerned my phone would die, I would lose track of time, or we would have to wait a long time at each location to get a car. So I decided to book a car service, and it was worth every penny. We used Temecula Black Car to take us around in style! Tony, our driver, pulled up in this beautiful London taxi car. He was knowledgeable, timely, and really made our entire experience more enjoyable.
We started out at Monte de Oro Winery, and it did not disappoint. With a beautiful terrace to enjoy the wine tastings, we were able to take in the scenery and throw all of our worries away!
Our next stop was Wilson Creek Winery. If you’ve been to Temecula, I’m sure you’ve been here! It’s one of the most popular wineries, in my opinion. They have an entire tasting menu of sparkling wines, many flavors you can’t get elsewhere. If you haven’t tried their infamous Almond Sparkling, I suggest you add it to your bucket list. Chris was obsessed. I think his exact words were, “we must have this on tap someday”.
Our third stop was Miramonte, which also has a great view. So great that we forgot to take a picture there. They also have this adorable dog with curly white hair that roams the grounds. Chris and I don’t even know what it’s like to have a well-behaved dog, so that was a treat to see!
Our driver Tony highly recommended Robert Renzoni, as our last stop for the day, and he was definitely spot on. The wine was SO good, and the outdoor seating area was beautiful, complete with a cafe and a menu that included a cheese board. Don’t have to twist our arms…
We went back to our hotel for a quiet little dinner and had a few drinks in the Cellar, an adorable lounge with live music at the Ponte Vineyard Inn. It was pretty much the perfect day, with zero interruptions from work. After another night of perfect sleep in a quiet environment, we decided to try one last cheese board and the tasting room at our hotel, before heading home.
These over the knee boots have become a staple in my wardrobe, despite the fact that I never thought I would wear them. They are so comfortable and trés chic. Shop the look below!
This was by far, our favorite charcuterie board, from The Restaurant at Ponte. We almost passed it up! Thankfully Chris agreed to eat it with me. I tend to be hungry in the morning/early afternoon, and although I can live off of snacks if I need to, I prefer an actual meal. Chris, on the other hand, could do without the meals and snack all day.
The tasting room at Ponte Vineyard is rustic, clean, and on point. We loved the wines there, and may have taken a couple back home for gifts!
This whole getaway was honestly amazing. It was short, but we’ll take it. With the craziness of our schedules and Chris’ recent promotion, it’s hard to take long periods of time off, for trips farther away. We have to really take charge in the moment and enjoy every, single second we have off together, because it has been few and far between lately. Although I wish I could have a million days in a row with this guy, I’ll take a day and a half. So here’s your reminder that staycations and short trips can be just as wonderful as big trips; you just have to seize the moment!
