New Series: Wine Wednesday

Entertaining

As we begin a new year, I’ve been thinking about my passions. What do I truly love? What do I truly enjoy? It’s those things that I feel I can bring to you with the most enthusiasm and authenticity. Upon examining the world of my favorite things, one quickly bubbled to the top: wine.

I love my wine. It’s my probably my biggest indulgence. And not just because I’m now a mom. My passion for wine has developed over many years. A semester in Italy sparked my initial interest, living in Santa Barbara and taking wine classes in college (perks of going to UCSB) only helped it grow. And my love of wine and fascination with the entire wine making process has only intensified since moving a stone’s throw from California wine country. I visit Napa and Sonoma as often as I can, have joined more wine clubs than I’d like to admit and drink wine…pretty much every day of the week. True story. It’s good for you thought right?

In all seriousness, I’ve blogged about wine in the past (like here, here, here and here), but I thought it might be fun to start a series dedicated to what I’m drinking right now. Because I know one of the hardest things about wine is figuring out what the heck to try in the first place. Everyone wants to drink “good wine,” but what does that even mean?

Some wines are daily drinkers. Some are best savored on very special occasions. And then there are those that fall somewhere in the middle. I’m hoping to bring you options across the entire spectrum, but I’m kicking off this Wine Wednesday series with a newly discovered wine and the winery that goes with it. It always helps when I love the winery as much as I love the wine.

Turnbull Wine Cellars is just one such place.

Turnball Winery is tucked in the heart of Napa, but if you blink while driving up Hwy 29, you might miss it. Surrounded by some pretty ostentatious neighbors, Turnbull is an unassuming space that maintains a welcoming, old-school winery feel. Family owned and operated, everything happens at the original barn-like structure built in 1979. And while it may appear understated, the property actually comes with quite the design pedigree. The winery was designed by famed architect William Turnbull, Jr., whose architectural style can be spotted throughout California, the Sea Ranch community on the Northern California coast being one of his most famous. When the O’Dell family bought the winery in 1993, they kept the name Turnbull in William’s honor.

Today, Turnbull is run by daughter Zoe Johns. A former retail buyer and director of merchandising, Zoe has a great eye. She brought a cool, modern perspective to the entire Turnbull environment. I shouldn’t be surprised – you can sneak a peek at Zoe’s own San Francisco home on D*S from a few years back – it’s dang good.

Today, Turnbull’s private tasting room is modeled after Zoe’s childhood living room, the tasting gallery holds the country’s largest private collection of Ansel Adams photography and the outdoor space features beautiful gardens, a wood-fired pizza oven, bocce court and an edible pairing garden with a fire pit. It really is a beautiful place to drink away an afternoon.

But let’s get down to the important stuff – the wine! Turnbull is well known for incredibly fine wines. In fact, two wines have garnered a perfect 100 points and 14 wines have been rated at 95 points or more by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. But again, what does that actually mean? On our visit to Turnbull we sampled a bit everything, but what caught my attention is their 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is smooth, silky and complex. If you read its description you’ll see phrases like bright Rainier cherries, fall spice and grain tea tannins. But again, what does that actually mean? Really it means very little. You don’t have to know esoteric descriptions to decide if you like a wine. You know if you relish every sip. You know if you intentionally take your time to enjoy your glass. I find the harder time I have describing a wine, the more I like it. Because it’s not straightforward. It’s not one note. It brought brings you back wanting more.

Now the Turnbull 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon isn’t one of those wines you bust open on any random Tuesday. This is definitely one of the bottles you want to invest in and take your time to enjoy. But it is definitely well worth it.

I hope you enjoyed our first Wine Wednesday post. If there are any wines you’re currently loving, please share in the comments! I’m always looking to add to my collection.

images kassie borreson & taylor brown

How to Enjoy San Francisco during the Holidays

Fashion

One of my favorite things about San Francisco is how this city celebrates the holidays. This town goes all out. Nearly every street glows with twinkle lights. Christmas trees shine in row house windows. And when you get downtown it’s like a holiday wonderland. Skyscrapers are all outlined in red and green. There are giant Christmas trees on nearly every corner and shop windows are decorated to the nines. You can’t help but get in the holiday spirit.

But the getting downtown part can be a real problem. A couple of years ago, we actually tried to do a day of Christmas shopping, but after sitting in gridlock motionless for 45 solid minutes, we simply turned around and headed home. This year however, I was determined to soak in the holiday atmosphere. Online shopping just doesn’t quite do it. Thankfully, I could turn to Uber to make the experience much less painful!

Rather than worry about traffic, circle endlessly for parking, I simply hopped in an Uber. I love UberX – it’s super affordable and there’s usually one available with very little wait. The busy holiday roads were no big deal since I could blissfully do email while someone else worried about the road ahead.

I headed to Ghiradelli Square first. What was once a total tourist trap has been revitalized with locals in mind. There’s some great food including a spot by celeb chef Jonathan Waxman and wine tasting rooms including one of my favorites, Bluxome Street Wines. And of course you can still pick up tons of Ghiradelli chocolate for all your stocking stuffer needs.

what I’m wearing: isabel marant jacket / levis redone jeans / freda salvador boots / jumbo scarf / celine box bag

When I was done I just used my Uber app to grab a car to my next destination – Maiden Lane off of Union Square in the heart of downtown San Francisco. I love that I didn’t have to hunt for parking or worry about leaving gifts in my car.

Maiden Lane is a hidden gem right off Union Square. A pedestrian-only, tree lined lane allows you to escape the crowds of downtown San Francisco’s main shopping arterials. Filled mall boutiques and specialty shops and cute cafe seating it’s the perfect place to find something special.

An afternoon of soaking up the festive sights and sounds of city makes it impossible to deny the magic of the holidays. I’m so excited to impart that feeling to my little kiddo this season. He’s just old enough to really begin to understand it all. And there’s really nothing better than the holidays then through the eyes of a child. I’m just thankful I could experience it stress free thanks to Uber.

photography by ashley batz

this post is in partnership with uber. all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. thanks for supporting collaborations we’re excited about and have kept apartment 34’s doors open.

10 Tips for Traveling with Kids

Gotta Getaway

Tis the height of the holiday travel season, when over the river and through the woods you’ll be going, tiny people in tow. After our epic adventure in Hawaii (if you missed it – I partnered with American Express Platinum to go on the ultimate family vacation – our first with our little guy. You can read all about it here), I’d be remiss not to share what I learned from that first-hand traveling-with-a-toddler experience. There are probably 1,000 pieces of advice I could offer, but I’ve whittled it down to my top 10 tips. Check them out below!

TOP 10 TIPS FOR TRAVELING WITH YOUR TODDLER

1 Kid Friendly Schedules. Your children’s sleep is your best friend. If you can, try to plan your travel days around nap schedules. It may not work out in your favor (our 19-month-old did not sleep one wink on each our six-hour flights to Maui), but at least you can say you tried.

2 Have a Secret Toy. I cannot take credit for this tip. Another mom-friend passed it along to me. Find something little. Something fun. Something with a bell or whistle or two that will attract and hold attention in your most desperate moment. That is when you bust out the Secret Toy. It will get used. It will save the day. You will be thankful.

3 Contingency Plans. Even with the perfectly coordinated schedules, secret toys aplenty and a perfect child you will get thrown a curve ball. Like when our flight to Hawaii was delayed 8 hours! You really cannot craft a backup plan for that. Thankfully, American Express has your back. Platinum Card Members have access to lounges at airports across the world, including The Centurion Lounges across the U.S. The Centurion Lounge at San Francisco International Airport is a haven. The food comes from Michelin-starred chef, Daniel Patterson (I got to taste test the menu as I shared here. It’s amazeballs). There’s a lounge area, conference tables, and most importantly, a well-stocked wine bar as you can see below. It’s the perfect place to while away the hours and keep your sanity.

4 Zero Expectations. This goes back to the previous tip, but the best-laid plans are likely to get blown up. Sleep schedules won’t comply. Weather takes a turn. Or they just want to do the exact opposite of what you planned. If you don’t have hard and fast expectations already in mind, you will be much less frustrated for it.

5 Feed Often. Tons of stimulation, new activities and unknown environments make littles way hungrier than you’d ever expect. So pack snacks where ever you go and feed at the slightest sign of crankiness.

6 Revel in Repetition. If you’re typically an adventurer, you might need to redefine the term. There’s actually something soothing about settling into a routine and it can definitely help your littles adjust to new places, new time zones and the unexpected.

7 Pack Less than You Think Need. You really do not need that much for kids. Outfits can be repeated. In an ideal world, you might have laundry where you’re staying. Pack for you kids and then cut the amount of stuff in half. Thankfully Amazon and Target are around to save the day in case of emergencies.

8 Divide and Conquer. When it comes to traveling with your kiddos, your partner is your best friend. Or really anyone who is willing to lend a hand. Grandparents. Siblings. The random stranger on the airplane who will hold your baby while you pee. Take advantage of all the help you can get. Trade off bedtime duties or meal times so someone can get a break. Even on vacation child rearing is exhausting so you want to make sure you build in some ways you can relax too.

9 If at First You Don’t Succeed, Drink Wine. And if does start getting a little overwhelming, take a walk, take a mini meditation session, take a deep breath. And then order more wine.

10 Enjoy Every Minute. All the cliches are true. It goes so quickly. They grow so fast. The days are long but the years are short. Soak it up people. The good, the bad and the ugly. Because ultimately, in the end, all of it is actually good. In fact, it’s great.

For the recap of our Hawaiian vacation, CLICK HERE.

For more about my travel adventures with American Express Platinum this year, CLICK HERE.

How to Have the Best Family Vacation Ever

Gotta Getaway

So I’m back from our escape to Hawaii and at the moment desperately trying to keep the soothing sounds of the crashing waves top of mind (serenity now). As you may have caught in this post or on Instagram – we took a much needed and overdue extended family vacation to the Hawaiian island of Maui. While my typical travel MO is adventure-filled, action packed and cultural experience driven trips, sometimes you just want to get the heck out of dodge.

After years of house renovations (yes, it’s been years now), raising tiny people, jobs, illness, politics, stress – Mai Tais sounded like the perfect solution. Thankfully, I could turn to American Express Platinum and all the travel services and Card Member benefits to make my dream trip a reality. I’ve been partnering with American Express Platinum all year and this was the perfect finale.

loved this gourmet take on a mai thai

When you’re taking a long trip with children, where you stay is key. Rather than drown myself in hours of internet research I turned to American Express Platinum. You can speak directly with a concierge that helps you find accommodations, book airline tickets, get rental cars. Everything. In one phone call. Boom done. Mama SO happy.

American Express also helped me discover our home away from home on Maui, the Wailea Beach Villas – the perfect place for a family to stay. The condo-like property features mini-apartments with full kitchens, in-unit laundry, tons of space and amazing views.

Some units even have private plunge pools. The property is only steps from an incredibly child-friendly beach. At said beach, you can relax on lounge chairs shaded by umbrellas. Sea turtles swim by you as you jump the waves. Really it was the perfect place for the entire family to relax and unwind. It was also the perfect place to introduce my son to the ocean. It was the perfect place to reconnect with my spouse. And the perfect place to just chill out. We could all use some chilling out don’t you think?

an acai bowl – a Hawaiian requirement

Using American Express to plan our vacation wasn’t just helpful. It was also smart because American Express offers so many different travel rewards, discounts and benefits packages. When booking a property in The Hotel Collection for example, such as the Wailea Beach Villas, Card Members can enjoy a room upgrade when available and a $75 hotel credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa and resort activities. They have also just extended a new benefit to Platinum Card Members where you can get 5X Membership Rewards points on all airline travel regardless whether you book it through Amex Travel or directly through your favorite airline. I’m all about Rewards points. But I digress.

bounty at Mana Foods in Paia

jawz taco truck outside Makenna – aka Big Beach

Back to the most perfect vacation of all time. Because I didn’t just luxuriate under my beach umbrella the entire trip. My constitution just isn’t built for that. I had to get out and explore at least a little. We did do some fun adventuring. We walked the Wailea coastline daily. Stunning. We went paddle boarding early in the morning. We took a sail at sunset and attended a luau. And of course, we enjoyed some good food (and drinks!) around the island. Again, I turned to the Platinum Card Member benefit – Concierge services to arrange all of activities and dinner reservations. A short email with my preferred dates and times allowed me to enjoy the beach and let American Express worry about the logistics. It’s genius.

I’ve included my top 10 favorite things about to do, see, eat, try on Maui below. And don’t worry. I learned so much on this family vacation that next week I’m going to share my top tips for traveling with a toddler.

1. Wailea – the beaches are beautiful, the waves gentle, the ocean warm and clear. Sea Turtles are everywhere, the snorkeling is great and the sand golden and soft. You can stay here and not get in your car if you don’t want to. Yes, it’s chocker block full of resorts and the tourists staying in them, but there’s a reason why.

2. Makena (Big Beach). If you love golden sand that glows, big crashing waves and crystal clear waters you have to visit big beach. It’s not super little kid friendly – the waves are BIG, but it is stunning.

3. The Farmers Market in Kihei. Kihei is a local’s paradise on Maui but it’s a great resource for visitors too. The list of things to try in Kihei can get long quickly but if you’re staying for a while and cooking at home definitely hit the local farm stand on the north end. It carries all the fresh local island produce you could ever want.

4. Kihei Cafe – the ultimate locals breakfast spot. It’s a must visit – especially if you love french toast.

5. Paia. Often a drive through on the way to Maui’s road to Hana, Paia is a sweet local town that still has the best community grocery store, cute boutiques and great restaurants.

6. Paddle Boarding. You can now book private paddle boarding tours that bring you to great snorkel spots while giving you an amazing workout. Warning, this isn’t the easiest activity – you’re going to be tired afterwards, but it is so fun. We booked a tour right off the beach in front of Wailea Beach Villas.

7. Mama’s Fish House. A Maui institution on the North Shore, the views along are worth the trek. We made a lunch reservation but even then expect to pay a tourist premium, but the food and drinks are worth it. Mama’s feels a bit like a Maui tradition. It’s certainly not local food but it’s a fun experience none the less.

8 Maalaea Sunset Cruise. Hop on an awesome catamaran to get out on the water and enjoy the ocean. This was a perfect date night experience.

9. Ka’ana Restaurant at the Andaz Hotel. This cool, chic spot looks out at the ocean from up in the Andaz hotel. It serves inventive modern takes on location cuisine and using only local ingredients and its awesome. The Andaz Hotel is also one of The Hotel Collection properties. Bonus!

10. Ferraro’s Restaurant at the Four Seasons. It feels a little odd to eat Italian food on Maui but this spot, right on the path in Wailea is lovely, delicious and offers great sunset views.

To catch up on the rest of my #YearofErin adventures with American Express including my trip to the Aspen Food & Wine Festival and my Lady Boss Day Off, CLICK HERE.

Meet the Maker: Artist Windy Chien

Business of blogging

Imagine having a successful corporate career and walking away from it all to become an artist. It’s something many of us dream about, but few actually ever take that leap. But artist Windy Chien was able to muster the strength to do exactly that. Discovering talents like Windy is probably my favorite thing about Apt34. Women like Windy – with vision, passion, creativity and drive constantly leave me in awe. I recently had the pleasure of touring Windy’s San Francisco studio where she is twisting the art world into knots – quiet literally.

Windy is making art out of knots and it is absolutely stunning. It all started in January of this year, when The Year of Knots was born. Windy is teaching herself and creating one unique knot each day and assembling them all into a gorgeous installation in her studio. They are sometimes based off traditional knots, sometimes explorations. Windy starts every day in the studio with a knot, noting that it helps her achieve her creative flow for the day. It’s become an important ritual in her daily life. And the result is just so cool. Some of her knots incorporate a piece of brass hardware, some lay flat, some are multi-dimensional. She has created a handful in a beautiful black cord – a truly modern take on an ancient skill. Color me obsessed.

But what’s even more remarkable is that rope as a medium wasn’t Windy’s initial goal. As she explained during my visit, she simply wanted to flex her creative muscle, actually exploring multiple art forms before discovering knots. Upon her departure from corporate American, Windy tried out all kinds of creative avenues; pottery, painting, wood carving (her hand carved spoons have also garnered a cult following. Whenever one goes up for sale, it’s gone immediately.) But then Windy discovered knots – yes with rope – like what is often used on a boat – and she was hooked. Upon researching the history behind knot-making, Windy began to see knots as their own form of language. Each knot conveys a purpose, a meaning and tells a story. I totally love that. It’s as if her studio wall is an entire novel with hidden secrets about human history. The knots also just look really really amazing.

But the Year of Knots isn’t Windy’s only project. She is also creating gorgeous knotted lighting and wall-hangings. Each one is unique – many are bespoke commissions created specifically for their recipient. While the wall hangings are certainly reminiscent of 70’s macramé we’re seeing everywhere these days, I love how modern, clean and updated Windy’s pieces feel.

Most recently, Windy has taken her work to even greater heights by doing large scale installations in hotels, office buildings and public spaces. I for one would love to be able to walk beneath a Windy Chien piece every day. For now, I will continue to follow her on Instagram and drop into her Mission-based studio for a little creative pick-me-up. If you’ve been looking for an example to inspire you to chase that seemingly crazy dream – Windy is your woman. She’s proof positive that if you put all your energy into doing what you love, you just might be surprised by what falls into place.

Thank you Windy for letting me spend a truly inspiring morning with you!

If you’re looking for even more inspirational women doing super cool stuff check out this post, this post and this post.

And if you like these kinds of posts please let me know in the comments below. If you’re down, I’d really love to get out there to bring you more stories like this one.

original photography by michelle drewes

Obsession Reinvented: How I Rediscovered Inspiration

Business of blogging

As a blogger, it can often be hard to find fresh inspiration. Instagram algorithms, Pinterest overload and blogger ubiquity can make the online world feel a little one note. Over the years (have I really been at this for 9 years now?!), I’ve certainly struggled with ideation, often feeling like I was banging my head against a wall of stale style. That’s why I was intrigued when HP approached me earlier this summer with a challenge: Give their all-new HP Spectre notebook a try and see how its inspired design might inspire me to reinvent my work (in case you missed, check out the rather unique way I was introduced to the Spectre laptop here – it was all caught on video!).

So over the past few months, the HP Spectre has been my new companion. As I mentioned in said video – my laptop is almost like an extension of my hand. It’s never far from my reach – even in places you should never admit taking your laptop! Thankfully, the Spectre is so light and sleek it doesn’t weigh me down like my old laptop did. It’s actually the Spectre’s featherweight body and super-thin profile that inspired the reinvention of my work. Let me explain.

You see, since having my kiddo, I’ve felt a bit hermit-like. I used to pride myself on knowing the latest hot spot, trying out the new restaurant or being one of the first to discover the up and coming…whatever it might be. And I swore things wouldn’t change when I had a baby, as all people without kids do. But reality proved that with less time in the day and shifting priorities, I fell out of the loop. It was just too hard to avoid. And when you’re out of the loop it’s hard to discover fresh things you haven’t seen before. But with the help of HP, over the summer I felt inspired to shake off the mama-shackles and get back to what I love – collaborating, connecting, and being inspired by people way more talented than I.

As you may have seen in this post, collaborating with the furniture company Cisco Home to design my dream sofa certainly got me re-inspired from the tips of bloggin’ toes to the top of my head. But that type of opportunity is not an everyday occurrence. To feel reenergized on a daily basis, I’ve been grabbing my Spectre and making a point to simply get out and about in the world. For example, I’ve been trying to work from new places in and around San Francisco, like the amazing Tartine Manufactory recently opened in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood.

There are 1,000 things to love about this place. Starting with all the carbs, but I digress.

Housed in the Heath Ceramics Factory, Tartine Manufactory was created with the intention of articulating California aesthetics, to serve as an intersection between design and food and be a celebration of process. The Los Angeles based cool kids on the design block, Commune, looked to the architecture of alpine lodges, Dutch design, Stickley furniture, Japanese joinery and of course all things California to inspire the way they melded industrial architecture with a welcoming feel. Huge factory windows extend to high ceilings allowing natural light to flood the space. Unglazed Heath subway tiles along with crazy good Calacatta marble counters with faint gold veins, white plastered walls and concrete floors create a muted palette. Other details include reclaimed Douglas fir woodwork, Noguchi lanterns and mesh metal light fixtures.

It’s official, when it comes to the computer I’m working on and the space I’m working in, aesthetics make all the difference. I consider Tartine Manufactory my new happy place where I can work, run into friends and meet new ones.

When it comes to the actual work side of things, the Spectre makes it nice and easy. I’ve already espoused its petite size repeatedly. It really is an awesome feature. I also love the good battery life. I can power through a morning session at Tartine, no cord required. I also really like the wireless mouse that perfectly matches the laptop. I seriously hurt my shoulder doing too much work using a trackpad from which I am still recovering. Using a mouse is a must! The Spectre’s speed is nice and fast which is always a requirement for my short blogger attention span. I can charge my phone with the USB port and pop in headphones if I need to tune things out. I won’t sugar coat it, trying to re-learn Windows has been my least favorite part of the whole process, but the laptop’s lovely copper accents and glowing keyboard lessen makes it worth it!

The notebook is a great tool, but I’m most grateful for the opportunity to search out and rediscover what gets my creative juices flowing. That’s been the true game changer of this entire experience.

What inspires you when you’re in need of a creative boost? Please comment below!

To catch up on my entire experience with my HP Spectre click HERE and HERE.

Original photography for apartment 34 by andrea posadas
This post sponsored by HP. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thanks for supporting collaborations that we’re excited about and that have kept Apartment 34’s doors open.

How to Pack for a Tropical Getaway

Fashion

I know this time of year is typically for funnel neck sweaters and boots. Everyone is running around thinking about their next pumpkin spice latte and Halloween decorations. But I have nothing but tropical escapes on the brain. That’s because I’m about to embark on my #YearofErin finale – our first official family vacation since having le bebe! I’ve been partnering with American Express Platinum to plan the ultimate family escape and thankfully the American Express Platinum concierge has come this mama’s over-extended rescue to help me plan a perfect Maui adventure (thanks to everyone’s tips you left on this post btw). I’ve talked about why Hawaii is so special to me and I’m so excited to finally be going back.

Now that our departure is almost here, I’m turning to my (frantic!) packing list. But I want to take a different tact with this trip. Rather than plan a zillion outfits, I want to hone in on the absolute minimum amount of stuff I can get away with. I’ve started pulling together a packing list of the bare essentials necessary to enjoy island life.

I’m feeling inspired by the looks from the Tanya Taylor Spring 2017 presentation during NYFW.

San Francisco was so gray and cold all summer. I feel like I finally have my opportunity to enjoy the season I missed, even if it’s only for a short time. I’m always feeling all things white. I think I’m finally going to try my hand at something off the shoulder. And wide leg pants are never a bad idea. A flirty dress could be fun for an evening out. And do you think I could rock a gold bathing suit like the one above from Cynthia Rowely?!

It’s been a little tough finding cute things to pull together a beach vacation look this time of year but I’m managed to unearth some goodies.

SHOP THE LOOK sun hat / one piece / carry one bag / sandals / top / sunnies / cutoffs / romper / straw beach bag / bikini top / mondrian espadrilles

I’m a firm believer that I don’t need to sacrifice style, even with a restrained wardrobe. My friend Caroline recently reminded me of that. A few choice pieces are all you need to get you from the hotel to the beach to happy hour – and really what else do you need to think about on vacation?!

One-piece bathing suits are my new mama-reality so I’ve been hunting down good ones. It’s a bit of a needle in a haystack kind of search. But I’m loving this one and this one.

One cute sandal and a comfy flat for chasing a toddler is all the footwear you need.

A sun hat and cool peach sunnies will carry me through hours by the pool.

I am fully committed to getting two weeks’ worth of looks into my carry-on! Be sure to check back on Instagram and Snapcaht later this week to see if I succeed.

GET THE LOOK

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2005031″]

Postcards from Franciacorta

Gotta Getaway

Oh Italy. My love affair with you is longstanding. I first toured you at 17 and knew I was hooked. I had a smile on my face every day that I studied abroad in Siena. Italy made our honeymoon extra special. So whenever a trip to Italy presents itself, you say yes. Which is why I was Italia-bound last month. Upon touchdown in Milan, I was whisked an hour away to a hidden gem I had never heard of before, but to which I’m already plotting my return: Franciacorta.

Tucked against the foothills of Dolomites in the Lombardy region, Franciacorta sits on the southern edge of Lago d’Iseo (think Lake Como but smaller and less tourist packed!). Everywhere you look, things are lush with forests, rolling hills and of course covered in vineyards. Because really all of Italy seems to be wine country of some form or another, but Franciacorta is special. Kind of Italy’s best kept secret in fact. Franciacorta is home to some of the world’s finest sparkling wine – called Franciacorta of course. And you know mama likes bubbly!

Franciacorta is particularly special because of the way the wine is made. Like its bubbly cousin from France (which shall not be named), Franciacorta gets its bubbles from the “classic” wine making process. For the wine geeks out there (like me – I love this stuff!), that means Franciacorta doesn’t do its secondary fermentation (sitting on yeast and sugar called the tirage) en masse in giant steel tanks like Prosecco or Spumante. Instead, Franciacorta gets its delightful little bubbles after it ferments first in either steel or oak barrels and then goes through its second round of fermentation in the individual bottle. The entire wine-making process in Franciacorta is actually highly regulated to maintain the highest levels of quality. Wines must be aged for a minimum of 18 months, while some of the finest are aged for up to 60 months or even longer. That’s a very long time in wine years. Wine makers in Franciacorta take painstaking care of their wines – many using age-old traditional processes like riddling bottles by hand. Also, of the 115 producers in the region, more than half use organic farming practices. Color me impressed.

But back to our trip. In 72 jam packed hours, we were given the ultimate Franciacorta tour. We tasted Franciacorta upon Franciacorta upon Franciacorta, dined al fresco on five course lunches, learned to make homemade pasta, rode horseback through vineyards, took a sunset boat cruise, enjoyed a nature walk, toured a 1,000 year old monastery, sat pool-side with more Franciacorta and then had more amazing food and then more food and more Franciacorta. Aka, it was 72 hours of heaven. But there’s so much to do in this lovely region that even if you aren’t into wine, you can still have an amazing time.

We were only able to visit a small sampling of the region’s wineries, but whether we were trying Blanc de Blanc, a very dry light bubbly, Satén with a finer carbonation and satin like quality on the palette, or sipping on the sparkling rosés, I loved them all. The wineries themselves were also gorgeous. Every one was completely different from the next. Corte Bianca featured stunning modern design (more coming in an entirely separate post – it was so good). Others, like the sprawling Mosnel were over 250 years old with wine cellars housing over 100,000 bottles. I was simultaneously in awe over the wine making process and all the amazing spaces.

An evening on Lago d’Iseo – the lake with largest inhabited lake island in the world – was a little slice of magic.

I’ll spare you a picture of me actually on the horse.

This was my first major trip since becoming a mama and it was the perfect way to satisfy my wanderlust. Well, not really. Because now all I want to do is go back!

WHERE TO STAY: Le Quattro Terre – a lovely agriturismo, with simple chic rooms, delicious breakfasts and sprawling grounds

WHERE TO WINE TASTE: You really can’t go wrong with any Franciacorta winery you try, but I loved La Valle, Corte Bianca, Enrico Gatti and Cavalleri

WHERE TO EAT: We had amazing meals at Locanda al Lago on Lake Iseo as well as at a stunning historic villa, Villa Calini

THINGS TO DO: Boat tours of Lago d’ Iseo, visit the Monastero S. Pietro in Lamosa, take a nature walk in the preserve Le Torbiere, horseback ride through vineyards with Scuderia Crazy Horse, or take a cooking class before you wine taste at Mosnel

For more of my favorite travel adventures, CLICK HERE

Tasty Tuesday: Simply Delicious Restaurant Design in San Francisco

Entertaining

While I’m a sucker for a good recipe any day of the week, I might love good restaurants even more. A fabulous meal I don’t have to clean up after? It’s the best, am I right?! But I particularly love it when beautiful food is served in an equally stunning space. This is certainly the case with a brand new pasta bar that recently opened in San Francisco’s Mission District; Barzotto.

Having just returned from my trip to Italy (sneak peeks of which you may have spied here), I am loving having fresh handmade pasta – and an awesome looking spot to eat it – in my own backyard.

Every detail throughout Barzotto is spot on. The former space was a restaurant called St. Vincent – which I loved in its heyday – but it is nearly unrecognizable from its former much-darker self. All walls were taken from black to white using either original exposed cinderblock walls or Venetian plaster. Even the wood-paneled ceiling has been white washed and space’s central open kitchen bar was clad in white square subway tiles installed on a diamond-oriented bias. At the front of the restaurant, there is a simple seated bar at the open windows where guests can watch San Francisco’s Mission neighbors stroll by. The geometric tile floor totally pops against the subdued tones.

The lighting throughout is gorgeous too — a collection of contemporary brass pieces from Schoolhouse Electric, Restoration Hardware, and CB2 – my faves all around. Plants and pops of greenery bring life into the space. Installations in vintage pots were designed by Eleanor Gerber-Siff from Wallflower Designs. Carrera marble tables are simply accented with wooden salt and pepper grinders, utensil caddies and gold-leaf votive candle holders. A long bench with suspended leather backing banquettes is flanked by custom walnut framed-mirrors in the main seating. I give it all an A+. Guests are greeted at a custom counter and built-in shelving for retail wines, fresh pastas and soft serve gelato sundaes (I hear the spumoni with the house-made magic shell, candied cherries and pistachios is incredible. I cannot wait to try it myself).

At the heart of the restaurant, chef Michelle Minori and her team are hand-rolling fresh pastas so that guests seated at the open kitchen can sit in on the action. Extra-long spaghetti hangs on drying racks for practical reasons (and dramatic effect).

This light, bright space just makes me happy – and hungry. I have a feeling many a carb-filled evening is going to be spent here.

For more of my favorite spots in and around San Francisco, CLICK HERE.

interior design by hannah collins, photography by kassie borreson

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