Napa 40th!

So last weekend was my big LONG-ANTICIPATED 40th bday celebration in Napa Valley with my lifelong friends of 29 years.  Unfortunately one of our very best buddies, Amy, could not make it this time but we felt her there in spirit and missed her a lot!  This was our first pic on Night One...outside of the Oxbow Public Market.  Look at those sesy 40 year old mamas!

Just to backtrack a bit - this was my brunch in the LA airport...it was corn beef hash...and so different than ours here in the South...so of course I took a pic.  :)

Carrie and I at our first dinner - a place called The Kitchen Door

This was a Roasted Duck Bahn Mi with au jus, and sweet tater fries with Sraracha Mayo.  I mean, really, I cannot say enough about this sandwich.  It was their specialty and hands down, the best sandwich I have ever eaten!

After dinner, we headed to a little wine bar called Uncorked, and they had live music.  It was great to just sip some good vino, listen to some background tunes and catch up!

The next morning was GORGEOUS....check out this blue sky!

So we headed up into the Valley for some winery visits and tastings.

First stop was Sterling Vineyard...where we all grape stomped.  It is Harvest Season after all!

Check out those wine-stained toes!  :)

 

Is that Ethel and Lucy or WHAT!?!?

Then we hit the air gondola a quarter-mile lift to winery - great views of the valley on the way up!

 

Still  a gorgeous day but getting hotter...the temps were 100 this day - pretty crazy for that region this time of year!

Wine tasting at Sterling

Got to watch some harvesting action...that is a bunch of big boxes of fresh grapes that got dumped into the crusher.  After that, the juice was piped into the different fermentation areas.

A great view from atop Sterling

Next we headed across the street to this super cool-looking castle winery...the tastings were underground and exclusive only to that winery - meaning you cannot buy their wines anywhere else but there.

This was the view leaving that castle winery - gorgeous!

Next, as temps neared 100, we headed to V. Sattui and did some tastings then a delicious picnic in their oak grove outside.  Eventually the heat got to us and we headed home to relax. 

At home that evening, we relaxed in the hot tub and had round two of our delicious V Sattui picnic on the back patio.

Next morning - Ally and I headed to a GREAT 2-hour spa treatment....then, very relaxed, we met the other gals and went to Fume Bistro for lunch.  I had a fig and duck and goat cheese pizza that was amazing!

Taking a group pic at Mumm Vineyard - one of the most popular sparkling wineries in the area. 

At the St. Supery winery, Ally and I played Petanque - the French version of Bocce Ball.  Ally won 5-4. :)

At the BV Tasting Room (Beaulieu Vineyards)

Last tasting of the day - and trip - at Elizabeth Spencer in Rutherford.   Great atmosphere outdoors in their garden area.

That evening, we headed to the downtown Napa Riverfront - saw this giant chair and HAD to take a pic in it.  :)  Very "Edith-Ann" yes?

For dinner, I had crispy veal sweetbreads and cauliflower over creamy quinoa topped with huckleberries.  DELICIOUS!

And this was a ricotta custard with crusty French bread and slivered black truffles.  Seriously, all food is just delish in Napa.

 And with that, one more group pic...and we bid adieu to the Wine Valley and a fabulous birthday excursion!  These friends of mine have been a big part of my life for 29 years...and I am grateful for them and for our memories together.  Already excited about our next trip - right, ladies?!?! 

 

As a side note, I must thank my wonderful husband for really holding down the fort back home so I could take this trip and enjoy myself.  He had plumbing chaos and crisis and other situations to handle but he did it all in style without complaining...so thank you, baby!!!!  (and also, THANK YOU, Gdad for all of your help too!!)