UNITED STATES

Insta Snapshot: Memorial Day Weekend in Michigan

June 1, 2016

How was your Memorial Day? We spent the long weekend in Michigan again this year, which has now become an annual tradition since our first trip back in 2014. Our go-to spot is up in Northern Michigan, in and around Glen Arbor and Traverse City. We like to stay right outside of Glen Arbor in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore at D.H. Day campground. The beautiful lakeshore and sand dunes are right at your footsteps, as well as kayaking, biking, and our favorite, the Leelanau Peninsula—full of amazing wineries. On top of all that, the culinary rich town of Traverse City is only a 30 min. drive away.

One of our favorite wineries we stop at every year is Blackstar Farms. They produce the absolute best Pinot Noir, and after your first tasting, if you keep the glasses and bring them back, the tastings become complimentary. Plus, they have horses, which for me is irresistible. Some other wineries we visited this year were Chateau Fontaine, Bluestone Vineyards, L. Mawby, big LITTLE, and M22. We love bringing home bottles from every place we visit. Each time we open a bottle and enjoy the delicious local wine, it brings back all the memories from each trip.

The lakeshore at Sleeping Bear is absolutely breathtaking. The water is crystal clear and the sand is bright white. The colors are almost reminiscent of Tulum, only the water this time of year is ice cold and of course there are no palm trees in sight. Continue Reading…

CALIFORNIA, TRAVEL, FASHION

California Dreamin’

October 1, 2015

Some highlights from our recent trip to California.

We began our trip in wine country at a private rental home 3000ft. up in the Vaca Mountains. The property is known as “Girl on the Hill” and is owned by the sweetest couple, Dan and Denise, who grow grapes and lavender on the property which they use to make both their own small batch wines and lots of wonderful lavender products. We spent an entire day lounging around the property, laying out buy the pool, exploring the grounds, and even hitting a few golf balls at the putting green. Then we ended the evening by grilling a big feast and drinking local wines while star gazing. It was pure heaven.

Before we left, Denise and Dan gave us a tour of their home, also on the property, which they have made out of shipping containers. We all sat around chatting and drinking Girl On the Hill wine (which is spectacular) and it was so refreshing to learn their story and really get to know such an inspiring couple who have done something really unique with their land. If you find yourself planning a trip to Napa/Sonoma, I would highly recommend staying at Girl on the Hill.

How spectacular are these views!

MICHIGAN, TRAVEL

Pure Michigan | Traverse City and Glen Arbor

May 28, 2014

We just got back from spending a long Memorial Day weekend in Michigan. Perfect weather, adventure, and delicious food. Traverse City and Glen Arbor are so beautiful.

We started our first day off with a brunch at the highly recommended restaurant The Towne Plaza.

The food did not disappoint. As you may have guessed from the sign, The Towne Plaza specialized in pork. I don’t think you can go wrong with anything on the menu here.

Who would have known I have my very own park in Traverse City? The town may be small, but it’s full of cute shops and wonderful restaurants. Unfortunately we didn’t get photos of everything, but a few other places not to miss while visiting:

The Village at Grand Traverse Commons: cute shops in an interesting setting. The complex used to be a mental institution in the 1930s. Now it’s home to stores, restaurants, and even apartments.

The Cook’s House: This was hand’s down the best meal of the trip. The restaurant is, true to its name, set inside the first floor of a house. With only a few tables, its a very intimate setting. Our service was fantastic and the food, well, lets just say my mouth is watering as I type.

Patisserie Amie – Delicious French food and pastries. Open from breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Frenchies Famous – A quirky, and very small Traverse City institution. A great spot for brunch. And now it morphs into “Frenchies Taqueria” on Fridays.