maybe it’s because i am sitting at an airport as i type this or maybe it’s because i am desperately in need of a stiff yet smooth lavender martini like the one served there but i knew that today, each of you needed to discover the magic that is flora farms.
hillary really knocked it out of the park with restaurant recommendations/reservations while we were in mexico a couple of months ago. each one had something different yet amazing to offer. and each one was good enough to return to on our future visits. what made flora farms special is that it is an organic farm to table restaurant and everything you’d ever need for a restorative weekend getaway could be found somewhere across then 25 acres without ever leaving the premises. do you want a delicious meal? a spa treatment? to adopt a dog? to do some shopping for home decor? to take a cooking or painting class?
look no further.
lavender martini – the best i’ve ever had – perfectly balanced + fresh and floral rosemary ham and egg – it was hard to decide which lie to go with but i couldn’t say no to this flavor profilefennel sausage – hilly and sarah thoroughly enjoyed this pie
not pictured were the most seasoned and crisp potatoes with hollandaise and a sweet and gooey cinnamon roll we all shared. TO DIE FOR.
hilly and me 🤍hilly, sarah (our beautiful bride to be) and me – the grounds were absolutely breathtaking
after spending more time at flora farms, we know that on our next trip, we’d like to spend at least two days/nights there. i think it would make the most sense to start off as we usually do – in party mode for friday and saturday in the city, then shift over to this oasis on sunday to recover completely before heading back to california early the following week.
have you ever been to flora farms? if not, does this seem up your alley?
the nonstop rain over the last couple of weeks in the bay area has me craving the warmth of cabo, the beauty of these two girls and the dining experience we had at my new favorite restaurant – outpost.
hillary and sarah (our beautiful bride to be)
would it be a night in cabo without margaritas? of course, not.
chili margarita – it had the perfect amount of spice and was slightly smoky (just the way i like it)
the menu was extensive and because we wanted to try a little bit of everything, we decided to order a variety of small plates to share. there’s wasn’t a single thing we didn’t love!
homemade guacamole – it was creamy, flavorful and fresh esquites – there was so much variety in texture and spices that it felt like my tastebuds were exploding pastor shrimp tacos – the pastor marinade with the sweetness of the pineapple paired with the shrimp was to die for asada steak tacos – with all of us being seafood lovers, we were floored that these were our favorite tacos of the night. the steak was so juicy, tender and perfectly prepared. raw of the day (amazing cuts of hamachi were being served the day we went) – their seafood was next level and this melted in our mouths like butter citrus ceviche – the mixture of fresh seafood and the bursts of grapefruit + tomato with the crunch of the onion? to die for.
not just the meal, but the service, was impeccable from start to finish. while all of us had been to cabo before, this was our first time at outpost. we all agreed that no future cabo trip would be complete without a dining experience at outpost.
yours truly
have you ever been to outpost? if so, what did you order? if you haven’t been yet, what is your go to restaurant in cabo?
to round out our time in the south bay, my mom and i did lunch at one of my favorite italian spots. afterwards, we picked up some of my favorite women on earth and made our way to napa.
we checked into my favorite hotel there (the archer) before freshening up before dinner at a restaurant i have to go whenever i am in town (celadon). while i had never been there for dinner before (my friends and i often end up there for boozy brunches), it didn’t disappoint. i was so glad that my godmother happened to be in sacramento that week for work so she joined us for dinner and drinks at the hotel afterwards. we shared so many laughs over dinner – nearly three hours felt like 30 minutes.
celadon has the absolute BEST calamari (i used caps so you know it’s real)
wednesdays are meant for wine and we definitely did just that. first, we started with breakfast at charlie palmer steak. it came highly recommended and a couple of weeks before our trip when i mapped it, i realized it was in our hotel. somehow (even though i had stayed at the archer before), i had no idea it existed. i had definitely been missing out because we all enjoyed our meal so much.
avocado toast (with smoked salmon, cucumber, watercress, pickled red onion and a poached egg)belgian waffle (served with butter, strawberry compote, blueberry compote and maple syrup)huevos rancheros blood orange 75 (gin, blood orange liquor, lemon and sparkling wine)
i would absolutely go back again and i would recommend ordering a savory dish for yourself and splitting the waffles with another person or two in your party. and even with me being a vodka girl, i had to have a couple of blood orange 75s. they were absolutely delicious. if you want to go to charlie palmer, make a reservation via opentable.
next, our wine tasting tour began. my mom had never been to napa so i was excited for her to get to experience it, especially with women who we both love so much. our first stop was artesa!
the view of napa from entrance of artesa me + melissa 🤍interior of artesa complimentary glass while we waited for our table. this yellow jacket is my new favorite item in my wardrobe. it’s by lezé the label and is part of hayet rida’s honey glow collection she released. it is so soft yet heavy enough to keep you warm while being so breathable. my dress is from asos. sofia 🤍mom + sofia 🤍🤍
artesa is a winery i had always wanted to visit but it seemed impossible to land a reservation on any of my weekend trips. i figured i would try my luck since we were going on a wednesday and booked it immediately. since i am a member at the two wineries we went to next, i knew i would be able to secure a reservation at each of those easily. we all loved the service at artesa and i thought their rosé and their reds were perfect. i think on my next trip this june, it is likely i will become a member. afterwards, we made our way to madonna estate.
the fields at madonna – we had perfect weather me + mama bear 🤍the garcia sisters + me 🤍🤍🤍alexz hates pictures but we take such good ones together that she ends up forgiving me melissa – quite literally my lifesaver
we all did tastings at madonna but ended up purchasing multiple bottles afterwards that we loved to enjoy there while we soaked up the sun, took photos and talked about anything and everything. melissa was such a fan that she became a member. i know she won’t regret it – i certainly haven’t. after leaving madonna, we drove just up the road to a winery that has my favorite views in all of napa – domaine carneros.
the squad.
we went all in. tastings. charcuterie plates. bottles. smoked salmon plates. we laughed. we cried. it was the most like myself i had felt since before being hospitalized last summer. it was just the most magical day.
sparkling chateau tasting charcuterie bottles on bottles on bottles. smoked salmon lil’ spoon + melissa 🤍🤍🤍loves of my life
after leaving domaine carneros, felecia and i dropped the girls off, went to the airport and flew home. each part of my birthday was exactly what i needed it to be – from la to the bay to napa, i was surrounded by love and laughter. no matter what part you showed up for, just now how grateful i am.
after a much needed day of recovery on my actual birthday, my mom and i flew to the bay area on valentine’s day. we landed a little ahead of schedule, our suite was ready even though we were checking in four hours early and the weather was perfect.
last year, felecia and i spent valentine’s day with kendall and dom. when we realized we would be in the bay again on valentine’s day, it only seemed right to keep tradition alive. my dear friend, nick, wanted to join us for dinner. when i said we’d love that and just needed to make a new reservation, he took the reigns and booked at one of favorite restaurants without even realizing it – telefèric barcelona.
i had only ever been to the walnut creek location but since we were staying in the south bay, nick made the reservation for the one in los gatos. it was my first time going with a larger group so i was able to try many things on the menu i hadn’t previously. we had the best experience – not only was the service outstanding, the food was incredible and the drinks were delicious.
far more food was ordered than what was captured below however i had to include some of our favorites.
spanish meatballs – felecia and kendall were obsessed with these! catalan tomahawk 40oz. served with dipping sauces and potatoes – one of the best steaks i have ever had in my entire life. paella mixta (pork, chicken, shrimp and octopus) – we had them double the order since four of us would be sharing it (felecia is allergic to shellfish so she couldn’t indulge in this portion)gothic mojito (i chose passion fruit however strawberry and raspberry were also options)
as if the top notch dinner and even better company weren’t enough, nick surprised us and treated everyone (including kendall and dom whom he had just met that night) to dinner for my birthday/valentine’s day. my favorite card i received this year was from nick. felecia also nearly died when he handed her a valentine’s day card. i am constantly reminded of how wonderful my friends and family are – it is even better when i get to bring different groups together.
mama bear, me, nick, kennie and dom
if you find yourself in the bay area and in need of delicious spanish cuisine, book a reservation through opentable at telefèric barcelona. there is one in walnut creek, one in palo alto and the one we went to in los gatos (the other two locations are in spain).
just before christmas, i was lucky enough to venture to vegas for a much needed getaway with some lovely ladies from my last job. we had agreed to ahead of time to do one calm night and one wild night. our calm evening was definitely memorable because we had the most magnificent dining experience at giada.
for all of my fellow food network lovers, dining at giada was just as dreamy as you think it would be. i was especially excited to experience this with annie – she has all of giada’s cookbooks, loves a good italian meal. today is her birthday so this post is in honor of her. happy birthday, annie!!!
i cannot go to an italian restaurant and not have burrata. the burrata crostini was served with a kale salsa verde and toasted pine nuts. it was absolutely divine.
next, i had an arugula salad. it definitely had a little something special since it was combined with candied lemon, crispy pancetta and parmigiano-reggiano. it was a simple salad but absolutely decadent. for my main course, both amanda and i had the ravioli which comes with lobster, candy stripped beets and preserved lemon butter. our waitress suggested we get the lemon potatoes as a side to share and dip them in the preserved lemon butter sauce. it was absolutely to die for.
annie got giada’s signature lemon spaghetti and was in heaven. the presentation was just stunning.
michelle and vicky split bone-in tuscan ribeye and salmon paired with roasted broccolini. to say they were pleased with their choices would be a gross understatement. everything was seasoned to perfection.
more cocktails were consumed than i care to count and every single one was amazing. my favorite was probably my drinkable dessert. giada’s take on affogato included a bailey’s gelato they make in house. i am still dreaming of it.
our experience was seamless from start to finish. there are few things that compare to an amazing meal with even more amazing women.
if you are in vegas, be sure to make reservations via opentable at giada – the cromwell las vegas. you will be so happy you did.
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