San Francisco & Napa

So, a baby walks into a bar (or in our case, a winery) and the bartender (or in our case, the person who pours a very small amount of wine for a tasting) says, "I'm going to need to see her ID." Cue laugh track, forced smiles and too-loud chuckles.  But before we get to that point of the story, let's back up and talk about the couple of days that we (hubby, baby and yours truly) enjoyed in San Francisco.

Cheers!

I'm not sure how it's possible that we've traveled all around the world, to more than 15 countries, yet never had made it to California, but we had done just that.  To fix our predicament, we set our sights on northern California and arrived mid-May. A couple of days in San Francisco gave us time to explore the hills of Chinatown, the sea lions at Pier 39 and the shops of Union Square. 

The two hour time difference proved too much for baby girl to handle.  We were in our room each night by 5 p.m. PST (7 p.m. CST).  Thank goodness for the suite upgrade that the kind desk manager gave us.  We must have looked desperate.  Or maybe AnnaB was just that adorable.  Her early bedtime allowed us each to run along the Embarcadaro, San Fran's version of a boardwalk.  My run took me under the Bay Bridge all the way to the Giants' baseball park.  Later, we shared a delicious pizza while sitting cross-legged on the bed watching a Brady Bunch marathon.  Wild and crazy, I know.

Windy morning at Pier 39 in San Francisco

Sea lions at Pier 39

Carousel ride in San Fran

On our drive to Napa, we detoured twice.  Once to take in the stunning panoramic of the Bay Area at Vista Point.  With just a turn of the head, you can see Alcatraz, downtown San Fran and the Golden Gate Bridge.  We were lucky to be there on a uncharacteristically fog-free morning and the view was everything it promised to be.  Next, we stopped at Muir Woods to crane our necks at the towering redwood trees.  I wish I could have bottled up the incredible smell of evergreen, crisp morning air and pure nature.  AnnaB did not respect the "serenity and quiet" signs, so we hustled out as to not ruin the experience for others. 

View of the Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point

Panoramic of baby girl in her stroller in the Muir Woods

As the big tourist season doesn't fire up until the end of May, Napa was a bit of a ghost town.  Fine by us.  On our first afternoon, we were the only guests at the Rutherford Ranch Vineyards.  Humbly, we fessed up to knowing very little about wine.  We were given a brief lesson on proper wine tasting etiquette.  Several sips later, we were feeling warm and fuzzy and beginning to understand the difference between a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Gris.  Who knew that it would be an educational adventure?

Our first wine tasting!

 We ran each morning in the chilly Napa air, enjoying the sight of hot air balloons above the vineyards.  Postcard perfect.  A vacation is not complete without a little bicycle riding, and this time it was on adorable country roads from vineyard to vineyard.  Baby girl loved her sweet ride in the trailer behind her daddy's bike.  Lunch was delivered to us in a picnic basket and those sandwiches were thoroughly devoured as we lounged about on lush fescue.  I could get use to Napa life. 

Baby girl in her trailer

Daddy and his passenger

Love me some bike riding!

A little snack with daddy during a wine tasting

Beautiful vineyards!

Family pic - all smiles!

Relaxing and lunching in Napa

We had a wonderful time, but sometimes the best part of a vacation is getting back to your own bed.  Nothing feels better than a hot shower and your own pillow after 12 hours of traveling with a toddler.  Loved us some California and now that we're home, we can't wait for our next get-a-way.