Paso Robles in a Nutshell

I hope everyone had a happy and productive weekend!

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone but I wanted to share some highlights of our adventures! Together with a group of friends we decided to take a road trip down south on a mission to explore the breathtaking landscape of Paso Robles wine country. We spent 2 ½ days there and successfully managed to visit over eight wineries and one brewery. We also spent some much needed time relaxing, eating, drinking and vegging out in a cozy cottage set in the gently rolling hills of Peachy Canyon {thanks Drew!}. Considering we had a full house {and only one bathroom to share}, our daily routine was quite simple - get up early, make a huge breakfast and then hit the road for a day of wine tasting.

Some of my favorite wineries included Tablas Creek, Halter Ranch and Chronic Cellars. Each winery had its own allure, unique ambiance and stunning portfolio of wines. Our first stop set the benchmark for the rest of the trip. Halter Ranch Winery has so much history and charm, I felt like I was stepping back in time walking through the historic barns and stunning Victorian-era farmhouse. This was my type of experience, plus their wines were all surprisingly good {especially their Côtes de Paso- Grenache based blend).

Tablas Creek Winery was a priority on our list and we had the opportunity to check out their newly remodeled tasting room. Their wines stole the show and two of my favorites were the Côtes de Tablas red and white Rhone blends. Chronic Cellars was another favorite, with its funky bright and colorful décor and easy drinking, approachable wines. I’m a sucker for anything inspired by Dia de Los Muertos images {that’s on their label) and loved that their tasting room was hip and interactive with a pool table and horseshoe field outside.

For those of you who have never visited Paso Robles, I highly recommend a visit. It's rustic, quaint and just driving through the back roads exploring the scenic beauty is worth the trip! Ole!

{Historic barn at Halter Ranch Winery}

{So many wineries to choose from!}

{Halter Ranch tasting room}

{Justin Vineyards reception area & adorable vineyard dog, Buddy}

{Keeping it classy with my favorite pair of Aviator shades from Theory}

{Fun in the sun with my BF Adam at L'Aventure Winery}

{Beer tasting at Firestone Walker Brewery}

{Breakfast of champions: eggs with chorizo, bacon & watermelon slices}

{Chronic Cellars tasting room. Pool table + wine tasting = fun!}

Grecian Green Dress

Over Memorial Day weekend we took the opportunity to explore the gorgeous wine country of Paso Robles. As I predicted, the weather was undeniably warm and breezy, making this the perfect day to sport this Grecian green dress. I stumbled on this dress at a vintage trunk show, and I've been wearing it since my college days. I love the subtle details with the high empire waist, the seamless flowing fabric and the golden rope that borders the neckline. Together with my gladiator lace up sandals and a simple yellow shawl, this outfit reminds me of what a fashion forward Greek goddess would wear. Ole!

Chefs Market Cooking Demo

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Cooking has always been a passion in my life {eating too!}. Ever since I was a little girl I've been in the kitchen, cooking alongside my mom, Amelia Ceja. I remember standing on a stool next to the stove, using both hands to stir the pot of Mexican hot chocolate, while sweet aromas of chocolate and cinnamon filled the kitchen. From that moment on I knew that food would always play an integral role in my life and now, more than twenty years later, I’m still cooking and learning from my mom.

Last week my mom and I had a wonderful opportunity to host the Chefs cooking demonstration at the Napa Downtown Chefs Market. This weekly event is what I consider to be the ultimate street party, with food trucks, wine/beer booths, crafts & cool art.

We decided to prepare one of my favorite dishes, “Camarones con Cebollitas Rojas y Ajo” {shrimp with shallots, garlic, lime juice & a dash of spice}. This recipe is simple to make and is a delicious appetizer to share at a fiesta! This particular day also marked the 2nd annual Chardonnay Day so we paired our Ceja Vineyards “Vino de Casa” Chardonnay blend with the dish. This flavorful and semi-spicy dish paired beautifully with the Chardonnay blend because the wine cut through the spice component of the shrimp leaving your taste buds begging for more!

Click here for the recipe and short cooking video. Ole!

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{My adorable niece Isa scoping out the scene}

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Make Mine a Mojito!

{Fresh mint from our garden}

I simply adore Mojitos. There is something so satisfying when you taste this refreshing drink. It’s definitely a lazy-by-the-pool type of drink, and what better way to celebrate summer than a revitalizing Mojito cocktail! Well, I guess getting it served by a cabana boy would make it better, right?

This cocktail offers it all. It’s tart from the lime juice, sweet from the simple syrup, bubbly from the club soda, has zing from the muddled mint leaves, is crisp from the rum, and if that was not enough, it can be specialized to your liking by adding various fruit purees! You’ll have to source the cabana boy yourself though.

Dalia’s Delicious Mojitos Serves 2 people

Mojito Ingredients:

• 2 large sprigs of fresh mint leaves
• ½ cup of white rum
• ¼ cup of simple syrup
• 3 tablespoons of lime juice
• 1½ cup of club soda
• Crushed Ice

Simple Syrup Ingredients:

• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of sugar

Directions: Bring water to a light boil in a small saucepan, remove from heat and stir in sugar. Let cool.

Place ice in a beverage shaker then add in the rum, mint leaves, lime juice and simple syrup. Muddle the ingredients for 1 minute then shake well and serve over crushed ice in a glass. Top off each glass with a splash of club soda.

Garnish each glass with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint. Enjoy sipping this delicious and oh-so-refreshing cocktail during the hot summer evenings. Ole!

Argentina from 16,000 Feet

I recently came across this video of me skydiving in Argentina and thought I must share!

Cordoba is one of the places we visited while backpacking around Argentina. It's a beautiful city and is primarily known for its university life. It hosts six universities and students from all provinces and neighboring countries come to Cordoba to study {and to party}. This is also the place were I did my first skydive! After a night of enjoying an amazing Asado {Argentinean BBQ}, my best friend and I decided to go skydiving. It doesn’t really get more epic than that.

Looking back, I never really thought that I would be someone who would jump out of an airplane. I mean, not really. It took a little coaxing from my friend Katie, who was totally thrilled and unfazed about this extreme sport involving airplanes and high altitudes. Was I scared, nervous and doubting myself? Absolutely.

My nerves were sky high by the time I was walking up to the small charter airplane. Together with my instructor, the pilot and a cameraman, we climbed in, all geared up and ready to go. I will never forget that moment when the instructor opened the door of the plane and I looked down over the smallest Cordoba I had ever seen, a complete adrenaline rush! A strange mix of fear and excitement soon turned into this overwhelming feeling of joy as I jumped and floated through the air!

Overall, the experience was amazing and the crew was really friendly and professional. The total cost to jump was $150 including pictures and an awesome video {with the coolest background music ever!}. This was also a perfect reminder for me to live my passions and to challenge myself to overcome my fear of heights!

Have you ever done something that you were absolutely scared to do? Ole!