The weather was better this year. The sort of crispness in the air that warms immediately under the sun’s gentle bath. The breeze was nearly impossible to notice, but there enough to stir the air up and keep the day moving. The day was a no-hurry day. The type of day best spent walking the length of a wooden fence, down to the vines where you can hide in between the grapes and let the rest of the world just disappear. It would’ve made for a perfect wedding day.
It wasn’t the same this time. We melted in with the crowds, just another couple escaping to the mountains for the reds and oranges in the trees, a glass of spectacular wine, and a break from life. The tasting room staff pitched their wine club to us, along with the couples to our left and right. To our left, an overweight couple straight out of cheap wine-ville dumped practically every ounce of their tastings. To our right, a young couple, perhaps our age, downed their tastings as if it were a race. After our tasting partners dispersed, paying their $10 tasting fees and moving along, we gently asked for a bottle of Petit Verdot to take home and discreetly let the young man pouring know that we already, happily, are wine club members.
It was someone else’s wedding day. And we preferred it that way. Because as the bride and her maids lined up alone the side of the building, posing for picture and picture, and the staff busily lined rows upon rows of chairs for the ceremony, we sat with our cheese plate and simply remembered.
Sometimes it’s good to keep a low profile. Moments become more special when you know that nobody else is watching. And so it was, a little over a week ago, that we celebrated our 1 year anniversary, back on the same ground where we said “I do”, with nobody watching.
…. and we sat on the porch steps and watched the wedding unfold. I can’t think of a better way to spend our first anniversary.
Did you miss wedding recap week? You can see all of the pictures and all of the memories here.
So today’s guest blogger is a pretty special person. Not only is she a blogging friend, but she’s an IRL (in real life) friend, AND she’s my next door neighbor. No, seriously, our husbands like to think they’ll knock the walls down one day and make one, big, awesome room made up of both of our townhomes. So Brie has this pretty cool job that has sent her to some pretty cool places. Most recently, northern Cali. She’s got some pictures for you, along with some great advice on traveling healthy… because, let’s face it, traveling can get unhealthy really fast. Enjoy Brie!
Hi Like Ordinary Life readers! I’m Brie of Recipe for a Beautiful Life, where I blog about my passion for fitness, my love for all things fashion and beauty, my obsession with sports, and everything in between.
Recently, I’ve been on a little health kick {and have worked hard to drop some major LB’s}, so when the hubs and I started planning our trip to San Francisco and Napa, I was of course thrilled and excited, but also apprehensive about keeping up with my fitness routine. I knew there was a lot of amazing wine and food awaiting me on the West Coast!
I don’t think I am the only one who feels like when you have finally saved up some vacation time, planed out a trip, and cut loose from you cubicle, it can be very tempting to leave all responsibilities behind…even (or especially) the fitness and healthy eating ones… But…the last thing I wanted to do was slip down the fitness slope and come home from my vacation discouraged… Here’s what helped me stay on track, but still enjoy my travels: Turn sightseeing into fitness! No one wants to spend their vacation laboring away in a hotel gym. So get out there and see the sights whileyou workout! The hubs and I saw some of the best sights in San Francisco while out for our runs. We used our iPhones to plan out the best routes to maximize sights and mileage. The hills were brutal, but it was a badge of honor making it up those suckers!
Scenes from our 6.5 mile run:
Pack healthy breakfasts and snacks! Having your own stuff on hand minimizes the chance you will cave and order room service or stop off at Starbucks for a giant muffin. I trekked a box full of Clif bars across the country and it was a great way to start each day on a healthy note {plus, they’re great fuel for your workouts}. Use your own body weight for strength training! No weights? No fancy machines? No problem! Lunges, squats, pushups, and crunches are great ways to get in a good workout, even in your hotel room. Add in some jumps, jumping jacks, and high knees to do a mix of cardio and strength training. Bring your best {fitness} friends along for the trip! A jump rope is one of the best cardio workouts you can do. It’s perfect for travel because it’s small and light weight. You can easily pack a jump rope in your suitcase {even a carry on}. It requires only a little bit of space for the workout! Resistance bands are also easily packable and usable anywhere! Moderation is key!Let’s be real, you have to live a little. There was no way I was going to San Francisco, and Napa, and not drinking wine {I had previously been on a self-imposed wine ban} or enjoying some of the fabulous food. Know what your priorities are. I stayed away from unnecessary snacking and desserts because I would rather indulge in my main courses and, of course, vino!
San Francisco, and especially wine country, were amazing! I highly recommend a trip. If you love wine as much as I do {and that’s a whole lot} then Napa and Sonoma are a must-visit! The wine was amazing, the scenery was stunning, and everyone was so warm and welcoming. We are already planning our next trip!
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And onward with the weekend….
Dear You, Up There, Thanks for looking out for us Saturday afternoon. Our 20-something, religious un-identities may not have the answers to it all, but we surely know that someone was looking out for us when the car suddenly dropped from 75 to 20 miles an hour in the middle of the highway.
Dear Derecho Storm, You were WILD. (Reference split tree falling onto Sean and Kerry’s house below). However, did you really have to damage the power lines that much? Because of you I lost two days of summer school pay that I’ll never make up. That’s not cool, Jericho, not cool.
Dear Running Hare Vineyard, you were hot, but fun and provided a beautiful backdrop for chick gossip without the boys around.
Dear unnamed Hyundai dealership, teach your sales team some social skills. Playing backseat driver during a test drive where you don’t allow us onto a road with a speed limit above 35 mph, followed by constantly condescending us with comments such as “There’s no point in showing you inventory because it changes daily” and “Now I have to go tell my boss you aren’t buying a car today” is no way to get us to buy a car. Stop emailing us and get a clue. We WON’T be back.
Dear Wimbledon, GO ROGER. (Sorry Djokovic). Oh, and GO ANDY!!!
(that’s me, at Wimbledon, in 2006.. as the sign says)
Dear scorching heat and humidity, Okayyyyyyyyy. You’ve overstayed your welcome. Goodbye.
Dear Independence Day, honestly, you were as great as you were because I celebrated with old friends.
Boom.
