di Rosa Preserve: Art, Nature and Fashion

 

 [typography font="Homemade Apple" size="22" size_format="px"]Mixing art, nature and fashion…[/typography]

If you’ve ever driven through the Carneros region of the Napa Valley you may have spotted a flock of sheep grazing on a low hillside, beckoning you to come closer. These are no ordinary sheep, but are flat sculptures that welcome you to the Di Rosa Preserve.

[typography font="Homemade Apple" size="22" size_format="px"]A unique, whimsical and unforgettable place… [/typography]

As soon as you step into the courtyard you’re surrounded by dozens of sculptures, peacocks, and a 217 acre preserve filled with art & nature. This walking art gallery became my backdrop for a fashion photo shoot {Score! I was like a kid in a candy store}.

The setting is quite magical, almost as if you walked into the Alice in Wonderland movie. It's filled with grassy meadows, lush vineyards, gently rolling hills and a placid lake, which is home to over 2,000 works of art.

{Cynthia Rowley Coat, H&M Dress, Frye Boots, Ecote Suede Bag & Vintage Belt}

Fall fashion: With the chillier days and nights, it’s fun to spruce up and combine fall colors {orange, brown and blue tones.} Color blocking is fashion forward & an effortless way to add a bit of pop to your outfit. I chose this royal blue mini dress, my long patterned coat and boots to create a comfy yet stylish outfit fit for an afternoon of walking and exploring the di Rosa preserve.

You can feel the energy and spirit of two extraordinary individuals, Rene and Veronica di Rosa, who have made this preserve come to life with their imagination, passion, and unending love affair with art and nature. This place is simply amazing. Click here for more details on visiting. Ole!

[typography font="Homemade Apple" size="24" size_format="px"]I hope everyone has a Spook-Tacular weekend![/typography]

p.s. check out more pictures below!

[nggallery id=11]

Hog Island Oyster Co.

[typography font="Homemade Apple" size="22" size_format="px"]The world is your oyster...[/typography]

  This past Saturday, we escaped to the shores of Tomales Bay - a picturesque fishing town with lots of places to eat fresh or barbecued oysters. Perhaps nothing so perfectly captures the sweet, salty essence of the sea as an oyster on the half shell.

I’ve had my fair share of delicious Hog Island Oysters in Napa, but I wanted to go straight to the source.  With a bottle of Ceja Sauvignon Blanc, a sourdough baguette and Cowgirl Creamery goat cheese in tow, we feasted on over 5 dozen Sweetwater and Kumamoto oysters. We topped off the oysters with a fresh tomatillo salsa, lemon juice, spicy mignonette, Tapatio sauce & Parmesan cheese - simply mouthwatering! {click here  for the full recipe}.

The weather was idyllic with warm, breezy winds and I could have sat there, eating and relaxing, forever. It's days like this that remind me why I love living in Northern California. I think there are few experiences that compare to indulging in oysters and watching the sunset on Tomales Bay. Le sigh…

p.s. You get the option to schuck your own oysters or enjoy the oyster bar. Come prepared with a shucking knife, gloves, toppings and your favorite bottle of bubbles or Sauvignon Blanc. Ole!

[typography font="Homemade Apple" size="22" size_format="px"]Bon Appétit![/typography]

Move. Learn. Eat.

You know that feeling you get when your heart starts racing and you can’t stop thinking & dreaming of all the endless opportunities in life? The thoughts that keep you up into the wee hours of the morning?! Well, that’s the feeling I got when I watched this video. Do yourself a favor and WATCH… Video in a nutshell: 3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food into 3 beautiful and compelling short films = a trip of a lifetime…

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

I’ve mentioned it in previous posts {but to make it perfectly clear} I have an addiction to traveling the world. Much like the MOVE video, I had a similar experience, but mine took place a year and a half ago in South America with my best friend. Exploring five countries, over 500 hours of bus rides, crashing in hostels, visiting Machu Picchu, trekking up an active volcano, falling in love {with Chile}, swimming in the gorgeous white beaches of Brazil, eating amazing asado {Argentian BBQ} and most importantly, discovering who I really am…

For me, my experiences can be described in three words {that are tattooed on my forearm} - live your passions. I felt so inspired and moved by this video and it reminded me so much of my own travels that I wanted to share my enthusiasm and excitement with you!

Here are some of my favorite pictures {and memories} when I traveled to South America. Ole!

{Local Peruvian women & children with Lamas that we met in Cusco, Peru}

{Kids playing soccer in Cusco City, Peru}

{Exploring Machu Picchu with my traveling gnome: a bottle of Ceja Vineyards Merlot}

{Man-made floating islands made out of straw. Lake Titicaca, Peru}

{Brazilian men, tanning themselves. Rio de Janeiro}

{View from the top of the Villarrica Volcano. Pucon, Chile}

{Watching the sunrise on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janiero. Amazing}

{Capoeira dancers in Bahia - Northern Brazil}

{Ipanema, Beach 9 in Rio de Janeiro}

{Tango dancers in La Boca. Buenos Aires, Argentina}

P.s. What are some of your favorite travel experiences? I love hearing stories, so please share!

Coastal California Camping

[quote][typography font="Homemade Apple" size="22" size_format="px"]It’s official, camping makes you happy![/typography][/quote]

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that being in the great outdoors and spending quality time with your family & friends is going to make you happier. In my opinion, camping can be good for the soul too…

This past weekend we drove up north {again} to the gorgeous Redwoods in Mendocino County. It was a family affair with 24 family members in tow. We camped out at Richardson’s Grove Park {the campsite itself wasn’t my favorite, it lacked a lake and was too close to the highway}, but being immersed in those magnificent Redwood trees made the trip worth it.

Our itinerary was simple: get up early, make a hot, steaming breakfast, go for a long walk and attempt a swim in the river. For a change, it was refreshing to be disconnected from technology and instead we relied on senseless humor, games {pssst check out Apples to Apples!} and perfected the most delicious s’mores a kid {or adult} could ask for.

So grab your tent, and get away for a long weekend – just tell your boss it’s doctor’s orders.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures. Ole!

{Eel River}

{ I recommend a visit to the Avenue of the Giants. Spectacular Redwood trees!}

{ I felt tiny compared to the giant trees!}

{Blueberry and banana pancakes for breakfast. Yum!}

{My friend, Pacifico, joined us for a walk through the Redwood trees}

{Tri-Tip skewers for dinner}

{Camping is great for the soul. Now try it!}

Tulum and Coba Ruins (Part Four)

As you might have guessed {and seen from my previous post} I have a huge fascination with all old ruins & pyramids, including Mayan, Aztec and Inca. There is something so intriguing and mystical about cities that were built thousands of years ago before there was electricity, forklifts or even something simple like a hammer. It boggles my mind that there were such skilled architects and engineers with nothing more to work with than mud and limestone {I know, when did I become a philosopher, right?}

The last few days in Mexico we ventured to the Southern region of the Yucatan Peninsula and explored Tulum and Coba. Both are Ancient Mayan civilizations that once stood as powerful & influential civilizations over a thousand years ago. Tulum was a city built on the coast of the Caribbean ocean and was used as the main port of the royal government for exporting goods to neighboring countries. Can you imagine having this view as your backyard? These nobles definitely took advantage of their gorgeous surroundings.

Coba is located deep in the Yucatan jungle surrounded by two lagoons and was once known for being a political and religious center for the Mayan people. I had the opportunity to climb the largest pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula named the Nohoch Mul pyramid. It was quite a trek but once up there it was so worth the climb with its breathtaking panoramic views!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures {and videos} that we captured… Ole!

{Check out this video filmed at the beachfront of Tulum!}

{The exotic Mayan ruins at Tulum}

{I love this picture. Iguana attack!}

{I named her Loca Lilly the Toucan}

{Check out my video on top of the pyramid at the Coba ruins!}

{La Iglesia pyramid at Coba}

{Natasha, the adorable monkey at Coba}

{One of two Mayan ballgame courts at Coba}

 {Sitting at the top of the Pyramid in Coba. Amazing views!}

[nggallery id=10]