Chimney Rock Winery

Chimney Rock Winery has Spanish details & a pretty white roof,



a boisterous welcoming committee of red & white roses,



piles of delectable vino with labels that echo the roofline,



& a warm & unpretentious tasting room experience. It's unique & charming, & one of our favorite Napa stops!

Welcome to Wine Country

Do you feel like you are being welcomed with open arms?



If you visit the right wineries, you will be. What is it about wine that incites such passion from the people who craft it? Wine-making requires such intense attention, care & downright hard work, that everyone involved is personally invested in the quality of the product. It's a rare thing these days, & pretty darn inspirational if you ask me.

A Dose of PDX

Just across the river,



there's a magical land of meticulously crafted coffees, triathlete pedicab drivers who will race each other if you ask nicely, & good times around every corner...

All Dressed Up & Ready to Go

We had the opportunity to hang out in the staging area for the Scottish musher Wattie McDonald. The mushers & some of the handlers showed their Scottish pride in kilts & knee-high socks, (& nothing on their legs, brrrr!) but the dogs stole the show in their red plaid coats & black booties.

Doesn't Varmit look pleased with the make-over?



Once in your uniform, you can close your eyes & visualize the course (these are elite athletes after all).



Meet Miss Congeniality, she was so sweet & kept coming over to us for more noggin scratches.



Despite being enthralled with the dogs, I did actually manage to get in a couple of shots of the musher.



It was a cold & sunny morning, there were more than a few "eyes closed" photos. This is Wattie's fellow Scotsman & 2nd sled musher Kevin Thain in full costume, making sure his eyes were open for the photo.



That's where the photos stop for the morning, because we were invited to run the dogs up to the start - sometimes you gotta put the camera down & jump into the action!

It's All About the Doggies

After a hearty breakfast, we put our dozens of layers of sweaters & fleece back on & headed out to see the real stars of the Iditarod - the dogs! The excitement of the dogs was palpable, they really want to run. Waiting is the hardest part for them, but there are a variety of ways they get through it.

Some of them get chatty:



some are anxious, some more meditative:



some know the drill & are calm but watchful:



but when the booties are on & the sled is ready to go, they know it's almost their turn, & they just have to jump for joy!

Diorama Drama

Our San Francisco adventure included a photo bonanza at the California Academy of Sciences. Exploring the African Hall dioramas was fascinating, & more than a little eerie...





nothing gets by these guys, that's for sure.

Ready, Set, Go

We took advantage of the long weekend, & zipped off to San Francisco for a couple of days!



Good friends, good food, tons of photo time (more to come), & all with this amazing city as a back drop. Sure makes me wish for more long weekends :)

Vintage Beauties

We had a chance to stay at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco over the holidays. It was bustling & festive, and dripping with glittering chandeliers.

They were in the room,


in the entryway,


even tucked into a stairwell.


I'm sure these glorious beauties are just the tip of the iceberg, I'd love to go on a treasure hunt & snoop around for more!

Monday Medicine

Sometimes, the best way to brighten up a Monday morning is to remember the weekend.

Thanks Santa Barbara!

Dear Canada,

Thank you for Whistler, & the surprisingly seamless way it transforms from a Winter wonderland into a Summer playground.

Also, thank you for your sweet Aussies on work visas who make amazing coffee & breakfasts like this so they can bike, ski, & board to their hearts content.

Hope to see more of you soon Canada. Love, M.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Once upon a time, while vacationing near a small town in Mexico, a left turn off of the beach & a few steps into town brought into view the wonderment of...

a surprise parade! With my first digital camera, all set on auto, I was lucky enough to get a shot of these lovely girls dressed up & waiting their turn to walk down the cobblestone street. It was such a beautifully authentic moment, I thought I'd celebrate Cinco de Mayo by sharing it with you.... & I'll have my Corona later ;)

French Quarter Treasures

It was almost overwhelming to try to capture a few choice shots in the French Quarter of New Orleans this weekend.

Honestly, I think you could spend a lifetime taking photos there! Everything from the houses, to the people, even the ubiquitous whirling daiquiri machines are vibrant & unique. If you go, definitely end the night at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, you can't get more N'awlins than a growly piano player in a bar from the 1700's!

Happy Weekend

Heading out to one cool city for a fun weekend! Here's a clue:

Hope your weekend is chock full of inspiration!

Norma's at the Parker Palm Springs

The Parker Palm Springs: Jonathan Adler happy chic, sunshine in abundance, palm trees & pampas grass, blue blue swimming pools, and... the most INSPIRED breakfast ever!

The colors were at once soothing & energizing, just like the glimmering French press pot of coffee

The Very Berry Brioche French Toast was soooo divine - a hollowed out brioche filled with warm berries.!... OH, and savory Norma's Eggs Benedict made with mini buttermilk pancakes instead of english muffins, & it all starts with a complementary smoothie of the day shot. Can't make it to the Parker? Don't be sad - get the cookbook instead!