Girls Guide to Napa

This past weekend, I met up with three hot mamas, Laura, Cait and Steph and we whooped it up {Vicki Gunvalson style...woo hoo!} the entire time!  This epitomized a true vacation for me...no responsibilities, lots of decadent food and wine, and a fabulous hotel room {did I mention there were no children in sight?}.  It was pure perfection--and I would say we barely noticed that it rained the entire time!  ;)

Here are some highlights from the weekend...

STAY

We had the pleasure of staying at SENZA, a divine hotel conveniently situated between Yountville and Napa.  It was the perfect blend of being both charming and modern.  Our hotel overlooked a sprawling vineyard, had a stunning bathroom which included a walk-in shower, heated floors and soaking tub and best of all, a cozy fireplace which was perfect for our rainy visit.  Plus, a huge bonus was that every morning breakfast was provided compliments of Bouchon and they had a complimentary happy hour every evening, complete with charcuterie.  We could not have asked for a better spot to spend our weekend.

PLAY

We couldn't come all the way to Napa on a girls weekend and not include a little pampering!  We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the spa at the Meritage Resort.  As you can see from the picture above, the spa is underneath the vineyard in these incredible caves.  It was a gorgeous property and after getting the signature Terra massage, I was able to relax my way right into the weekend.  

WINE

Photo via Cait

Photo via Laura // Find my anorak jacket here!

Our first stop was Hall Winery, which is owned by the same family as our hotel SENZA, which was evident by the modern architecture, funky art and traditional history.  I would definitely recommend the tour which really brought the property and winery to life.  I was impressed by its rich history as well as their innovative philosophy on wine-making.  But let's be honest, their wine was the star!  I especially loved Ellie's Cabernet Sauvignon and Walt's Pinot Noir.

Our next stop was Chappallet winery, which is located high up on Pritchard Hill, but worth every twist and turn it takes to get there {tip: Uber was our best friend the whole entire trip!}.  The grounds are so majestic {there truly is no other word} with their dense greenery.  One perk of wine tasting in the rain is that most wineries are pretty quiet and everything is SO SO green!  The winery is built into the hillside and the tasting are amongst aged wine barrels...amazing right?  My favorite wine was their bold and spicy Zinfandel!

Photo via Laura

Photo via Laura

Our last memorable stop was Charles Krug Winery.  The tasting room feels like you stepped right into a Restoration Hardware--and for good reason!  It's entirely decked out by RH and is super rustic and modern...LOVE!  It also happens to be the oldest vineyard in Napa, which means their rich history lends the winery to a fun tour as well.  They're known for their reds, which I thoroughly enjoyed!

DINE

Photo via Cait 

Photo via Cait

And of course, the best reason to travel {IMO} is for the fooooood!  Here are my top picks:

Red Wood: Amazing wood-burning oven baked pizzas.  We loved the Prosciutto Crudo pizza with arugula and the Smoked Ham pizza with brussel sprouts.

Dean & Deluca: I mean, this place is a blogger's paradise.  They have the most amazing treats!

Gott's Roadside: I loved their tuna tacos and brussels which were perfectly roasted and garnished with lime...yum!

Bouchon Bakery: It goes without saying that I devoured a croissant {sometimes even the chocolate} every morning.  And I hear that they can get lines out the door at their storefront, so it was a definite treat that SENZA brought them right to us!

Farmstead: If you want a truly authentic dining experience, then Farmstead is it!  The property is stunning and their food philosophy is farm-to-table.  I especially loved their roasted artichoke, burrata and homemade gnocchi.

Whew!  Are you still with me?  I hope it's clear how much we enjoyed our weekend--I can't wait to get back!  And I really should, considering I live less than three hours away...I mean, really!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xo natasha

A special thank you to SENZA, Spa Terra at Meritage Resort & Spa, Hall Wines, Chappellet & Charles Krug Winery for providing discounts or complimentary services to us on our trip.  You made our trip extra special!