Hey everyone!
Well, it turned out to be a pretty gorgeous day around here.
Unfortunately I am not feelin’ too hot but I’m trying to rest and drink lots of tea. Hopefully I’ll be making a comeback soon…
This morning I took Anne to where it all began!
Hardy gave us a VIP tasting at….10:30 a.m. We start early in wine country, clearly.
After Murphy G, we headed over to Cafe Gratitude for a very healthy lunch! I asked them for a concoction that would heal me and they gave me a very hot and spicy blend of water, lemon juice, honey and cayenne pepper. It was INTENSE.
It was actually really delicious and made me feel better. I also ordered the special of the day—a vegan tamale with butternut squash and caramelized onions:
SO good!!!!!!
After lunch, we stopped by a bakery and got cookies for dessert. I chose a gingerbread man!
And then we headed out on our little wine country excursion. My favorite was Porter Creek!
I LOVED their wine…..especially their old vine zin. Really, really delicious. **If you’re wondering how I’m going wine tasting all day while being sick, the answer is that I’m not drinking…..here in wine country, we perfect the art of spitting and dumping. I highly recommend it!**
We got home later in the afternoon and I took an hour siesta. Just got up and ate a snack:
A toasted blueberry Kashi Go Lean waffle with almond butter and jam.
We are about to pull ourselves together now and head to the store to get some ingredients because tonight we’re cooking dinner at Hardy’s. Tentative menu is lamb, couscous, homemade tzatziki sauce and string beans.
See you in a bit!
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
Vegan tamales?!? Yummmmm! Hope you start feeling better soon…have fun cooking!
Looks like a fun day of wine tasting!
Hope you feel better soon!
I loveeee wine tastings. They’re so fun. There’s a huge festival of wine tasting a few times a year here in the art district. =]
Feel better
Mind over matter… Feel better soon!
Interesting water concoction- I don’t know if I could handle the cayenne pepper. Enjoy dinner!
Your food always makes *so* hungry even after I’ve eaten dinner!
Vegan tamale = YUM. Get a good nights rest and feel better asap! You have another awesome year to ring in tomorrow!
Ahh, those homemade fig newtons I spy in the bakery have me drooling now.
I am so jealous of all the wine tasting you do! I do appreciate the info you share with us though so I know what to look for when buying a bottle. I hope you guys have a great night
The gingerbread men are so cute! The dog – a little scary. Have a great dinner tonight.
You can’t beat 1/2 off Christmas cookies after Christmas
Sounds like a delicious dinner! Funny, I was just wondering about the drinking of the wine when you made that side note. Hope you are feeling better soon!
There is a diet, The Master Cleanse, based on that drink you had. Hope you are feeling better soon : )
~ Hillary (don’t miss my GIVEAWAY!)
That gingerbread man looks so cute
I’d love to live in wine country!
Ohhh, I love tamales. I just had fresh ones when I was home in Texas last week!
I’m so jealous of all your awesome cafes and bakeries! Tartine and Cafe Gratitude always make me especially envious. I love the cups!
I love tamales as it is, but a vegan version sounds deliciously intriguing.
Sorry to hear you’re not feeling so hot still, but you do look great! Vitamin C, fluids, and rest! Trust me, after working with kids for the past seven-eight years, I’ve mastered the art of functioning with a cold.
Tamales-Jealous
Coffee mug-cute
Being sick-not fun
Sleeping-amazing
happy new years from oz–well NYEve at least
Glad you had a great day with anne and have fun tonight at hardys!!
Jenna
wtf butternut squash in a tamale! you must get the recipe!
Mmmm that tamale sounds wonderful. Feel better!
I guess perfecting the true art of wine tasting means that you can do it come rain, shine, or illness! Hope you feel better ASAP
I think Cafe Gratitude looks like the cutest and most perfect lunch place! I would go there all the time.
Can’t wait to read about dinner!
I love that Cafe Gratitude will put together the exact concotion you need- so awesome! I hope you feel better!
Sounds like a the best day to me!
I always thought it was funny to watch people swish and spit but I’m glad you are taking care of your health.
I love wine tasting! The fella and I are going to Napa on Jan 11th! I can’t wait!
The gingerbread man is too cute! I seriously hope you get to feeling better. New years shenanigans need to happen so ya know, we can read about them. haha. Take care of yourself, dear.
Dinner sounds great, but that tamale sounds even better! Hope you feel better soon, no one wants to be sick on New Year’s!
Hope you feel better ASAP!
Feel better soon!
What the heck kind of dog is that at Porter? It looks like a wolf!
Aww Hope you feel better soon!
BTW if the infamous “Katie” is trolling around here…you better have something nice to say or GTFO! lmfao jk!!
..kind of. 
peace out girl scout, have fun!!
I want that gingerbread cookie, he’s so cute!
Love Cafe Gratitude…they had one in San Francisco….the tamale etc looks delicious. All their food makes you feel good, so healthy.
10:30 AM, huh? Maybe you should manufacturer
ELR du Vin Toothpaste so could get a jump start at 6-ish
pinot grigio, noir, etc lol. You spit that out too. lol
Le sigh… One of these days I will go back to California and go wine-tasting.
Wow. That first picture looks fake the backdrop is so lovely!
Wine tasting sounds like it would be a ton of fun! Too bad you aren’t feeling so great.
Hopefully you’ll be feeling better for tonight!
My daughter wants to know where the wind up penguin came from… Gorgeous clouds!