Not Another LA Blonde

Category: Travel

  • Temecula Wineries – Day Trip

    Temecula Wineries – Day Trip

    It’s TRAVEL TUESDAY!! Today I want to share a day trip we took in July 2019 for my 27th birthday. We had already done a day trip to San Diego for hubby’s birthday. We decided that we wanted to do something a little different, so we picked Temecula for the day to hit three wineries.

    Stop #1 – Europa Village

    This was our first stop of the day; it wasn’t too crowded when we got there, but it definitely was by the time we left. We choose to do the Prelude Passport Tasting option. This $25 per person and includes 6 tastes of any C’est la Vie or Vienza wines from their regular menu. This was pretty cool because we had our own personal sommelier who helped us pick the wines based off of our preferences. There are three different wineries on the Europa Village property! There is a restaurant and hotel on the property. I also just learned that they offer olive oil tastings! OMG I wish I had known this because I so would have enjoyed this!

    Stop #2 – Wilson Creek

    This place was probably my favorite, but it was the most crowded! We wanted to eat when we got here, so we had to wait and find a table on the lawn area. We ate a quick lunch and had a wine slushie! (You can not bring your own food or drink)

    There is a restaurant, but you have to make reservations, so I recommend planning ahead if you want to eat there! After lunch, we went into the tasting room; it was soo crowded inside, it was very difficult to find a spot at the bar. Our tasting was $25 per person and included 6 tastings, a logo wine glass, and a $5 coupon toward wine bottle purchase of $30 or more. I tasted the almond sparkling, watermelon, white cab, peach bellini, and rose. I wish that we could have spent more time here because it was just so beautiful, but like I said, it was really crowded. *There website has all of their up to date offerings and you can find all the info here*

    We got to bring the glass home with us

    Stop #3 – Ponte Winery

    This was our third and final stop of the day. Ponte Winery also has a restaurant, but we did not eat here. We only did the wine tasting since it was getting close to their closing time. Wine tastings are $25 per person and include 6 tastings.

    Here is the menu that we got to choose from, it may be different now

    There is also a hotel on the property and I think that this would have been such a cool place to stay the night! *They are open for wine tastings outside, but you do have to make a reservation ahead of time. All of their info on COVID protocol can be found on their website. The restaurant and tasting is currently open for reservations, but they are not doing any winery tours!

    I can’t wait to be able to do these types of day trips again once things go back to normal and I feel comfortable being around so many people. All three of these places are open and have a COVID protocol in place. I recommend checking out each of their websites before planning to visit so that you can make sure you’ve made the proper reservations and have everything you need.

    As always, if you have any questions, let me know and I’ll do my best to get the best answer for you! If you have any recommendations on other wineries to go to while in Temecula, drop them in the comment section.

    XOXO

  • Las Vegas – Weekend Trip

    Good Morning!! For many Californians Vegas is a staple weekend trip. Planning a quick getaway? Go to Vegas. Turning a special age? Go to Vegas. Planning a Bachelor/Bachelorette trip? Go to Vegas. We were supposed to go to Las Vegas last March for hubby’s 30th Birthday but then COVID hit the US and we got a little nervous and ended up cancelling the trip. So I’ll fill you in on the details of our March 2019 trip when we took my brother to Vegas for his 21st Birthday.

    Friday:

    We took Southwest Airlines out of the Long Beach Airport (talk about an easy airport!) on a Friday morning. We grabbed some breakfast and a drink in the airport before getting on the plane.

    We almost always stay at the MGM as hubby and I are both rewards members there. We like to stay in the Stay Well rooms (a little pricier but we feel that they are cleaner). We had to wait a while for my brother and his girlfriend to get in (they were flying in from Idaho) so hubby and I hit the pool for a while and grabbed lunch.

    For dinner, we grabbed food from one of the hotel restaurants (TAP Sports Bar). They have classic American staples and it’s the perfect place to watch games on TV. According to the MGM website, it looks like they are currently only open Saturday & Sunday’s.

    After eating, we went over to Top Golf where we had made a reservation for a bay. They have a lot of great options for booking and it’s fun for everyone! *They are currently open and taking reservations*

    Saturday:

    We rented a day bed (perfect for 4 people) on the edge of the lazy river pool. We spent the WHOLE day at the pool! (Cabanas/daybeds can be booked starting March 1, but be sure to read up on their Covid protocol when going to the pool)

    We hit the Mexican restaurant (Hecho En Vegas Mexican Grill & Cantina) in the hotel for dinner and then decided that we were not going to join my brother and his girlfriend at the club. *Unfortunately, it looks like this restaurant is temporarily closed due to Covid regulations*

    Hubby and I decided to go gamble a little bit and then enjoy the country bar, Losers Lounge (which is open!). Losers Lounge is a country themed bar (hubby and I love country music and have been to stagecoach multiple times).

    My brother and his girlfriend went to Hakkasan Night Club located in the MGM and said they had a really fun time. *They are temporarily closed during Covid*

    Sunday:

    We all had an early flight out of Vegas on Sunday morning so we really didn’t do anything! We packed our bags and off to the airport we went.

    Another fun thing to do if you’re up for it is the Wet Republic Ultra Pool Party. They are set to reopen for the 2021 season on March 5.

    While there is sooo much to see and do in Vegas, I recommend only traveling if it is essential and done safely! Please be sure to check out the local Covid protocol to wherever you are traveling because it might be different than where you live. Stay safe and healthy everyone!

    If you do plan on going to Vegas now or in the future make sure you save this post for your trip!

    XOXO

  • San Diego – Brewery Day Trip

    San Diego – Brewery Day Trip

    Good Morning friends! I have been meaning to post this FOREVER! Literally. For Robert’s 29th birthday, we decided to take a little day trip down to San Diego to do a little beer tasting at a few breweries that he was interested in. We woke up super early Saturday morning (March 2, 2019) and drove to San Diego.

    First Stop: Green Flash Brewing Co.

    We made it just in time to snag a spot on the brewery tour. At the start of the tour, they gave us a taste of their special beer they were promoting that weekend. During the tour we learned about how they make all the beers in house and the process that each one goes through.

    After the tour, we grabbed a drink and then decided to head out to our second spot as it was getting a little crowded. They had a large selection of beers and I felt like they had something for everyone’s tastes. I’m not a huge beer fan, but they had something that even I enjoyed. I believe Robert got the Hoppy Birthday and I got the Passion Fruit Kicker.

    Second Stop: Saint Archer Brewing

    This was my favorite stop hands down. We chose to do two flights instead of just one regular drink. In my flight, I got: Razzleberry, Peach, Sour IPA, and Chocolate Strawberry Stout. The Razzleberry was my favorite as it reminded me of a cider (my favorite drinks). I ended up getting a case to go and am super bummed that I finished them over the summer. We didn’t stay here very long as it was raining so all of their outdoor seating was unavailable and they didn’t have a ton of indoor seating.

    Third Stop: Iron Fist Brewing Company

    UPDATE: They have permanently closed their doors due to COVID.

    This stop was not what we were expecting; it was in more of a shopping center and had apartments above it. I think the location was fairly new when we went.

    Fourth Stop: Mission Brewery

    It was closer to dinner time by the time we got here and were getting pretty hungry so we only grabbed one drink each before leaving for dinner. I liked the options at this brewery and liked that they had the option to purchase a sampler size (the small glass in the picture). They had games that you could play and gave off more of a bar vibe.

    Dinner: BarleyMash

    Robert had been here before while on a Bachelor Trip in San Diego but this was my first time. It was all delicious! I would definitely go back. The restaurant is located in the Gaslamp District, so it’s super close to all the bars and nightlife. If we had planned better, we should have stayed the night so we didn’t have to drive the two hours home.

    These are all places I would recommend stopping at if you are ever in the SD area. If you are not planning on traveling anytime soon, definitely bookmark this and save it for later. If you do plan on heading to SD, I would call ahead to make sure they’re open and to see what they’re COVID protocol is! If you have any questions feel free to let me know and I’ll do my best to answer!

    XOXO