Hiking. More exciting than walking the neighborhood.

Another fun activity, sans rugrats? Hiking!

It's been awhile since we have been able to do this but I soon remembered why I loved it so much in the past. This trip, we hit up Skyline Drive going north. We hiked the following trails: Turk Gap, Blackrock and Dark Hollow Falls. Funny thing though...I saw a fellow hiker with their child strapped on their back (not my idea of a pleasant hiking experience) but she said she was an avid hiker and loved the Sport Ergo. Anybody else vouch for that style so when I have an inkling to hike uphill with an 18-lb weight on my back I won't injure myself?

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Virginia is for (Wine) Lovers

So what do you do with three days without children? Reconnect with your significant other and drink wine, of course! And what better way to do this than to travel around the beautiful state of Virginia. That's what we did and I love it every time.

In the past 6 years, the number of wineries have skyrocketed and succeeded in making a name for itself in the world of wine. We typically travel up 64 to the Charlottesville region but we also spent a little time around 66 in the Northern Virginia area. I'll spare you the wine descriptions and just let you know what I liked about each one. This trip, we made it to the following:

1. Grayhaven - Very rustic and a little sketchy when we first drove up but the winemaker was very friendly and we had a great little chat with him. This was our first introduction to Seyval. Some guy reviewed it online and compared it to a place out of Lord of the Rings. I guess the door had a Middle Earth feel to it but that's about it.

2. King Family - BEAUTIFUL scenery, great place for a picnic. They have a big patio area overlooking their horse stables and polo field. We are fans of their Rosé Croze. This place makes me feel like I'm very preppy and need to wear my Ralph Lauren and pearls. But don't be intimidated. The people are super nice.

3. Gadino Cellars - Wine is decent. Pretty garden and porch outside. Very close to Skyline Drive. Friendly ladies work there.

4. Rappahanock  Cellars -  Very good wine and beautiful tasting room. Their wine tasting was much more of a production than some of the others we've been too. I really enjoyed their port. It was like drinking melted chocolate. And I love all that is chocolate!

5. Barrel Oak Winery - This might have been my favorite because I'm a little biased. One of my roommates from college is the general manager here and we had a personal tour and tasting. I loved this place! It was crowded yet had a fun, laid back atmosphere - a place you could sit and hang all day (much like how King Family is without the UVA football game wardrobe). Wine was excellent. I wish I had more time to explore the provencial-like grounds.

So, when Napa or Sonoma is just not in the cards, check out what's in your own backyard (that is, if you live in Virginia!).

Amidst busy lives, there is Blue Talon.

With grand intentions to be a fairly regular blogger ... I have failed miserably. I guess taking care of the husband and two kids, working and cleaning house does take up all my time. I have other grandiose ideas that also vie for my attention:

1. I was thinking to myself just yesterday that I really need a sewing machine. I could make those cute little blankets with fun fabrics and ribbon taggies for babies and have their names embroidered on them.

2. I want to go back to school and have a completely different career. I've been thinking nutrition off and on. (thanks, Mary, for the inspiration!)

3. I want to create an invitation design store on etsy.

4. I want to be one of those moms who has a different craft or fun activity scheduled for their children everyday with no TV watching scheduled in.

WHAT THE HECK??

So since I don't have time for any of that, I do have a few minutes to spare before I pick up my son from camp, which I totally forgot about yesterday. (Not picking up my son...just forgot to take him to begin with!)

I have lots to report since we experienced quite a few of my favorite things in the past week. Thursday night was our anniversary and we went to one of my favorite restaurants in Williamsburg – Blue Talon (remember the place with the awesome Illy coffee?). In addition to a great wait staff and atmosphere, Blue Talon serves up some yummy French-country cuisine. I had their Thursday night special of Boeuf Bourguignon. I sound so fancy when I say it. Served in a miniature cast-iron pot, the meat, onions, and mushrooms swam in a red-wine sauce that I could have slurped up with a straw. It was so good paired with a nice Malbec. Jason got a very handsome piece of New York Strip overtop a lentil tomato salad. To end our meal, we enjoyed a free glass of champagne to toast our decade together and a very full bowl of heaven - chocolate mousse. This is the best chocolate mousse ever and I think I can die happy after eating it. Its very rich yet you can eat a lot of it because it's so light. Is that an oxymoron? Anyway, it's awesome.

Some of you might be asking, "I thought Café Provencal was your favorite place in Williamsburg." Well, I guess I have two favorites!

Fulfilling your inner princess...

It's been mighty busy the past few weeks but one of the highlights was getting to shop for some great stuff with Stella and Dot and Thirty-One. Both of these companies sell by host parties but you can always shop through their websites (see links below).

Need a spectacular necklace that is sure to turn heads? Check out the Pegasus Necklace from the Stella and Dot Fall 2011 collection. It's name alone makes me love it. And it looks like something straight from Cleopatra's collection. :) But seriously, their jewelry is beautiful and unique. Another fave is the Marchesa Necklace.

So who doesn't love a new bag? What I love about Thirty-One is their big totes. Having two kids, I am always leaving the house with tons more than I need but these totes are the perfect size to carry everything — try the All-One Organizer, Retro Metro Bag, or Large Utility Tote.  I also love their Cindy Tote - great to carry a laptop and all your business needs.

Tony sometimes satisfies my travel bug

I caught one of my favorite TV shows last night on the Travel Channel — Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. I don't always watch but when I do, I love it! I truly believe this is one of the most unique, entertaining and educational shows on television. For those who have never watched him, Bourdain (an interesting personality on his own - chef, foodie, journalist) travels all over the world showcasing a new location each episode. But, it's not your cookie-cutter travel show. He examines the heart of the country through interviews with locals (usually being the average joe) and experts on the area. While digging into sometimes tasty meals at people's homes or locally-owned restaurants, Anthony discusses the culture, food, way of life and politics with his hosts.

This season's premiere was fascinating for obvious reasons — the illusive Cuba. One scene had Bourdain following a female restaurant owner buying supplies at a local food market and learning about her successes even while under the governmental challenges. Another scene showed him witnessing officially sanctioned groups set up on the streets solely for baseball debates (baseball being the Cuban religion). But the highlight was watching him undergo a very close shave from a very nervous and shaky barber supposedly feeling a little stress from the watchful eye of the filming camera. The episode was also full of the usual — partaking in the local fare and drinking ... a lot. Most notable was when he tried to "loosen up" his more affluent hosts on Mojitos concerning the livelihood of Cubans and current politics.

So, if you need a little education in your life and you typically watch Keeping up with the Kardashians or The Real Housewives (No judgement...I watch Teen Mom occasionally) then change the channel and get some real culture. I promise Bourdain will make you feel like you traveled right there with him.

Not a fan...

Morning Glory Muffins … the way to start a glorious morning

What the heck is a morning glory muffin you ask? Well, I think of it as a mix of a bran muffin and carrot cake. I’m not sure if there is any of the “bran” side actually in it though. But I do know there are raisins, walnuts and carrots…and occasionally I am excited to find that they added a bit of shredded coconut. They are perfectly moist and unlike my miniature cones that I finished in 2 seconds, I can enjoy this in about 2 minutes! j/k – I try to savor a little longer than that! These fist-sized creations kept me going throughout my pregnancy. I would honestly crave them like there was no tomorrow. I am dutifully trying to limit myself these days with some luck.

If you want to try some of this yummy goodness too — you can find them at the Williamsburg Community Chapel’s Café. The Community Café is a great place for breakfast or lunch with a creative menu – they even offer kid’s meals. So come on over for a nice quite place to have a cup of coffee and a morning glory muffin – they even have free Wi-Fi! But watch out — starting on Tuesdays in September, all of us MOPs moms will be overtaking the place with our screaming babies and teetering toddlers!