the willamette valley

ah, the pinot noir grape

there were a number of reasons why we decided to go to portland for our first trip away from webb.
one of the main reasons being we've always wanted to go to the wine country and we love pinot noir.
but not just any pinot noir. it's gotta be from oregon.
though we never really had a favorite winery ... we do now!

our first stop -

rex hill, owned by a to z, which i love!
we learned that 2008 was a great year for pinot noir in oregon.
i had an instant flashback to being in publix in pc beach when i was young.
my parents had just come back from the their first trip to the wine country
and my mom kept saying '94 was a good year.
"honey, look for bottles with '94 on them."
it makes me laugh to think about cause she was such a hoot.

who knew a trip to the bathroom could be so inspiring.
at archery summit.

one of the many gorgeous views

i had to include this one ... i'm telling you i was amazed by how green this place was!

mmm .... adelsheim pinot gris.
i don't usually drink pinot grigio much, it goes back to my junior year of college
... i'll just leave it at that.

this one is so good, so affordable.
you should try it!

our picnic lunch at adelsheim of yummy cheeses and meats

the professional taster at penner ash
their syrah, riesling, and red table wine "rubeo" are all fabulous and at great price points.

the hand on hip pose ... everyone's doing it!
have you noticed?

the last and best vineyard ... soter vineyards
this wine and vineyard was like a dream.
i've never heard of this wine ... though i never buy in this price point!

we tasted wine in this beautiful barn at a long wooden table with two other couples.
it was very intimate and very surreal.
it was like the wine country meets montana.
i could have stayed out there and never come back.
the highlights were the brut rose and mineral springs pinot noir.
they were out of control.


and we brought each of them home with us for a VERY special occasion!

i would go back in a heartbeat and stay a little longer ..

portland

i've decided to start at the end of our trip, because for me it was really the beginning.
i'll admit, i kinda had a tough time being away from home.
don't get me wrong, the trip was definitely great and a much needed vacation.
i would say about 24 hours into our trip i realized that i've become so accustomed to having webb with me all the time and staying so busy, that i had a hard time relaxing ... and well, just being.

our last day in portland was the best day ... my most favorite day.
i guess you would say it was when i was able to totally let go.

early sunday morning, (i say early b/c we woke up at 5:30am portland time every, yes, every morning), we rented a car and drove to the oregon coast. casey had driven along 101 many years ago and wanted for me to see the beauty of the pacific. beautiful it was and pretty chilly too. about 55 degrees and overcast when we got there. but by noon it had turned around and was mid 70s and sunny. it was perfect.

haystack rock at cannon beach, oregon
look familiar??
if you grew up in the 80s, you'd remember it as the first clue that led the goonies to the treasure.
okay, i didn't really remember that, but casey loves some goonies!

the beach homes here were amazing.
this was one of my favorites.

and then there was this ...
pictures hardly do it justice.


after the our trip to the coast, we jumped back in our subaru (as you can imagine it is the car of choice out there) and headed back to portland to get ready for the main reason i decided we should take this trip in the first place.
to see the national.
our hotel was the one right behind the stage.

after the show

the best meal on our trip.
clyde common
to. die. for.
all local, all fresh, all amazing!
even the band was there after the show.
and if you are into people watching, seriously, this was the best i've ever seen.

casey drinking a "heavy petting"
... the drink names were pretty creative let me tell ya.

and for dessert ... voodoo doughnuts
a very famous doughnut shop that's gotten all kinds of press.
yes, that is a man with a cat on his shoulder standing at the entrance.
the place was totally eccentric!

the most popular doughnuts:
the bacon maple doughnut
(casey thought it was a good idea sunday night, but not so much monday morning)

... and the portland cream.

back to the hotel.

happy, full, and carefree ... finally!

if it's the beaches

we just got back from a week long trip to the beach. it was just what the doctor ordered! thanks to the in-laws casey and i got some much needed time to ourselves with the perfect view.

i feel so blessed that we got to go when we did. it's only been a few days since we've gotten home, and i'm already hearing that this terrible oil spill is now impacting the emerald coast.

our trip was definitely an adventure. i've begun to realize that all hester family trips are an adventure at some point. the week started out with casey's mom and stepdad in destin and ended with me, casey, and webb in seaside.

when we started heading south, we were a little anxious about whether we had left at the right time seeing that webb dictates our schedule. this was the first trip that webb would take in his new car seat, that makes his head bob around when he sleeps, and it would be the longest span of time he would have to stay in his seat too. scary! well ... he surprised us and was a little angel. so content.

our halfway stopping point between nashville and the beach was durbin farms. casey had never been, but i had .. many times. it's north of montgomery and is a must for peaches and watermelon for the beach. these peaches make for the best daiquiris! (recipe to come later)

it took 8 hours to get to destin and i couldn't wait to take webb to the beach. his excitement was contagious!

a friend told me that i should definitely get a baby pool to take down to the beach. it was the best $12 i've ever spent at t.j.maxx. webb was so content playing with his sand toys in the pool. then we'd fill it up with a little water and he splashed around for hours. this little hat from target was the best. webb looked like "the skipper" one day and like he was wearing a bonnet the next. i was constantly laughing at him.

he loved splashing in the pool ... (it was his first time in one)

... and walking on the beach (excuse the rolls)

the highlight of our week was our seaside adventure. we rented a one bedroom cottage on a whim and it was perfect. this was the cottage ...

... and this was our view

i've been to seaside almost every summer since i was 16, stayed in seagrove and blue mountain beach, but never actually in seaside. it was a totally different experience being a part of the "seaside community" - inside joke. we want to go back every year! besides not having to move the car once, the westside pool was the best amenity this community had to offer.

i think webb was a fan too.

we hated for our trip to come to a close, but this little dude needed to get back to his own bed.

boo at the zoo

i don't know where the name boo came from, but i don't think it's going anywhere. maybe it came from saying "you're such a big boy" but "boy" turned to "boo". as they say, the rest is history. when webb was in the hospital i even called him bug-a-boo. like the beyonce song. i don't have an explanation for that one.

yesterday we became members of the zoo. i never really saw that in my future, but now it makes so much sense! the nashville zoo is awesome. i was really impressed. the playground is like a huge tree house and the path to see the animals is kind of a workout. i think we'll be visiting often.

sweepin' the clouds away

as i'm waiting for the sun to come out and webb to wake up from his nap,
i was just reminded of where i was this time last year.

i was 5 months pregnant and casey was wasting away in margaritaville.
we were on our babymoon. i know, poor me!

tupelo honey

(photo from here)

we're off to the birthplace of elvis this weekend.
i've totally forgotten how exhausting it is to pack for a weekend trip.
it seems like it's taking me all day!

happy weekend to you!
thanks for letting me borrow your pic mary.

stay tuned for foodie friday.

happy trails

hello from cashiers, nc! we've been here for a couple of nights and have done a whole lot of nothing. it's been great! cashiers is a quiet little town about 10 miles outside of highlands, nc, or as some call it "the highlands".

the highlights of the trip so far have been a french red wine called domaine de la petite cassagne that i bought in chattanooga on our way out of town, a really cute black courdory jacket that i found in highlands for half off, and the few flurries that fell last night.
hope you had a relaxing weekend!

New York, New York

I have a friend who went to New York this weekend. I'm so jealous! New York is great to visit anytime of year, but especially when there's a chill in the air. I've been to New York many times, but one of my favorites was when Casey and I went together. He had never been before, and had been dreaming of it for years. We did so much in the 4 days that we were there.

If you are planning on making it to New York this Fall, or Winter, here are some places I highly recommend you visit!

Have breakfast on the south side of Central Park at Sarabeth's and then go for a stroll in the park. Better yet, go ice skating if the rink is open! I like it better than skating in Rockefeller Center. The lines are much shorter and the view of the city is spectacular.

While you're by Central Park, stop in FAO Schwartz.

You must try the best reuben ever at Carnegie Deli .

Have a drink at The View at the top of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. It's New Yorks only rooftop revolving bar.

Spend an afternoon at McSorley's Old Ale House. New York City's s oldest bar. Cheers!

Grab a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery. Most people know it from Sex and the City.

If you're in the Big Apple on a Friday you've gotta go to MOMA (Museum of Modern Art). On Fridays from 4 to 8 pm admission is FREE! Be sure to get there about an hour early to secure your spot in line.

Check out whose playing at the Garage in the West Village. You won't be sorry you did!

Watch the sunset at the Top of the Rock. We did this instead of the Empire State Building, because I had done it before. I could go either way on this one.

Of course you have to see a Broadway show. My favorite I've seen is Wicked. Make sure to get to Time Square early and have dinner before the show! I haven't found a favorite place to do this, but for a quick martini and some yummy sushi, grab a seat at the bar of Blue Fin. It's in the heart of Times Square.

My final suggestion would be a Carriage Ride in Central Park, if you've got the time and the extra cash. What a great memory ... Especially when it's snowing!

If you plan to go to NYC in the winter, I suggest going right after New Years. That is what we did. The Christmas decorations are still up, the city is less crowded, and the hotel rates are discounted.

Keystone

My husband proposed to me on a ski trip we took to Keystone, CO. The best part about the whole trip was, of course, the proposal. But really the best was how he did it. My dad had been to Keystone a number of times and told us that while we were there we had to eat at Alpenglow Stube. Alpenglow Stube is a restaurant that sits on the top of North Peak at 11,444 feet. You have to take a gondola to reach this amazing restaurant. The gondola ride takes about 45 minutes. When you get off the gondola and walk into the restaurant, you are greeted by a host who takes your shoes and coats and gives you a pair of slippers in return. We were seated by the fireplace for dinner and the whole experience was like a dream. Amazing food and the best drinks!

Casey, my husband, proposed to me on the way back down the mountain in the gondola. I had no clue! I had wondered why he drank so much wine at dinner. If you are out west this winter, I highly suggest the Alpenglow Stube experience. You won't be sorry!

Nashvegas!

Have you ever been to Nashville, aka Music City? I think it is a must if you are visiting the south. My husband and I have lived here for 5 1/2 years and we have done almost everything you can do in this town and eaten at just about every restaurant. Here are some recommendations if you plan to come visit us soon.

What to Do:
Country Music Hall of Fame

Bluebird Cafe - Nashville Songwriters at their best

Listen to music and have drinks on Broadway at Robert's Western World - by far the best Honky Tonk in Town!

Take the Nash Trash Tour - I haven't gotten to do this yet, but hear it is a must!

Catch a concert at the Historic Ryman Auditorium

See a show at the Grand Ole Opry

Go to a Titans Game

Watch the Predators Play

Visit Historic Franklin, TN - Only 30 minutes from Downtown Nashville

Where to Eat: (My Favorite Local Spots)
Loveless Cafe - Biscuits, Biscuits, Biscuits! And their ham is amazing too!

Fido - Best Coffee Shop in Town and best oatmeal

Copper Kettle - My favorite meat and three

Margot Cafe & Bar - Best Sunday Brunch

Jack's Bar-B-Que - Smokey bar-b-que goodness!

PM - for Sushi

Mafioza's Pizzeria - for Pizza and Yazoo draft beer, so good!

Rosepepper Cantina - get a Margarita and Fajitas

Eastland Cafe - Best atmosphere, dinner, and dessert

Where to Stay:
I used to work at a hotel, so I would recommend Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. Best Service you can get in town! The hotel is perfectly located between Downtown Nashville and fabulous shopping at Green Hills Mall and the Hill Center. The Hill Center has great shopping including: Anthropologie, Swoozies, West Elm, The Cosmetic Market, Posh Clothing Boutique, and Popo Kid's Clothing to name a few. Located right next to Loews is the new Hutton Hotel. Great decor and brand new. I would definitely check there too.

Chattanooga

Speaking of Chattanooga ... have you ever been? Such a great city! I was born and raised there and it has changed so much since I left 10 years ago. The downtown area has flourished so much in 10 years. It is a great destination for families with young children. Most activities and restaurants that are worth visiting are right on the Tennessee River. Here are my recommendations of what to do and where to eat while you are there. And a few hotels to check out too.

What to Do:

Tennessee Aquarium

Creative Discovery Museum

Chattanooga Lookouts Game - Affiliate to the Dodgers!

Coolidge Park

Bluff View Art District

Rock City

Ruby Falls

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

Where to Eat:

Lupi's - Get a Calzone

Tony's Pasta - Best Bread and Pasta

River Street Deli - Get a sandwich and take it to Coolidge Park

Nikki's Drive In - Best onion rings I've ever had! See these reviews.

St. John's - This is my dad's favorite restaurant in town.

Clumpies - Homemade Ice Cream and a Walk in Coolidge Park is a must!

You've gotta visit Greenlife Grocery while you are there too. You can shop or just eat. It is a natural food store that started in Chattanooga and expanded to Asheville. I may even like it better than Whole Foods!

Where to Stay:

The Sheraton Read House - A renovated historic hotel in the heart of downtown

Bluff View Inn - I stayed here the first night of my honeymoon. So quaint!

The Chattanoogan - Newer hotel to Chattanooga. Near foot of Lookout Mountain

You won't be disappointed if you head off to Chattanooga for a long weekend in the Fall, Spring or Summer.