Honeymoon - Wine Country Home

My husband and I found an adorable little home to rent for the week while we toured wine country. It was actually a watertower  on a working ranch that we found it on Airbnb. It worked out perfectly and was a great place for us to call home for the week. It was on the property of The Beltane Ranch which is also home to a cozy little bed and breakfast. The owners encouraged us to explore the ranch, which we did. The photos are below. It's such a romantic and calming place to stay for a new, young, married couple just starting out on a lifetime of adventures and exploring. We definitely have intentions or returning. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

California Travels - Santa Cruz

Our honeymoon ended up being sort of a road trip within Northern California. We started in San Francisco for a few days and then drove down to Carmel, CA. On our way down to Carmel, we stopped in Santa Cruz. I am so glad we did because it has a wonderful boardwalk amusement park. It's right on the beach, so you could be laying out and if you or kids (that are old enough) wanted to go ride some rides, that could be done. You could go in and out of the park as you pleased. If you want to ride unlimited amount of times, you get a wrist band for just under $40. Not too shabby. Below are some pictures I took of the area and amusement park. The colors were so bright and fun that I felt like I was a kid again with excitement to ride some rides and eat some cotton candy! I really hope that we can go back and spend a few days here when we have kids!!!

 

 

 

 

Post Honeymoon - Loads of new ideas!

 

For our honeymoon my husband and I flew to San Francisco, rented a car and did our own little California road trip. We did a few nights in San Francisco, drove down to Carmel and Monterey where we stopped in Santa Cruz along the way (stunning), and stayed there for a few nights. Then we drove back up to Sonoma where we stayed for a week in wine country. It was wonderful and the food was one of my favorite parts! No doubt that I took multiple mental notes (and even wrote some down). Most of the food we had in wine country seemed so fresh! Like it was grown in a garden out back and hand picked that day so that it could be prepared for me that day. I felt like I was eating clean and it all tasted so delicious! As I have said before, if Coffee And were to be a reality and become a real café/bakery, I would hope that it could one day have a fresh fruit and vegetable garden of its very own. A place that can grow fresh produce and herbs for many of the recipes that might be made for the customers.

 

Below is example of what I was able to taste while in wine country. This was a lovely café that was in the Sonoma Square called The Sun Flower Café.  I had fruit, toast, and mascarpone cheese with some honey drizzled and sunflower seeds on top. What a tasty and refreshing way to wake your mouth up in the morning! It was delicious. I fully intend to create these on my own, possibly in miniature sizes. I think almost any other nut on top of this cheese and fruit combo would be delicious. I think the could even be great as an after dinner dessert. There are so many more pictures to come from our trip and ideas to go along with them. Time for me to get cookin'!