Wish List {Holiday Travel}

Another reason why I love this time of year is the travel.  Whether you’re traveling to be with family or a romantic getaway, I enjoy the excitement and frenzy.  I’ve been very fortunate in life to be able to travel a lot the last few years.  In fact, usually for Christmas and New Years, we’re jetting off to mark another location in our bucket list. This year…not so much.  With the arrival of Baby J, we are staying close to home.  But this is not going to stop me from dreaming big wanderlust dreams. :)  Here is my vacation wish list. 

Where are you traveling to?  Hope its someplace awesome!

1. The Norther Lights in Iceland {at the TOP of bucket list}

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2. Christmas Markets in Prague

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3. Lazy beach days  in the Seychelles

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Maybe next year we can take the baby along to these amazing places:

1. Wildlife in Australia {Would absolutely love to go back to Oz}

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2. A Royal tour in London {Hey, Will and Kate!}

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3. Family fun in the Babamas

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Seattle {in 3 days}

It has definitely been the summer of travel for us here at Modernlyfe.  I love traveling to celebrate weddings, especially when they are hosted in fun cites.  The husband and I attended a rustic barn wedding outside of Seattle in July, we were able to play in the city for 3 days and really made the most of the fabulous weather they were having.  Are you heading to Seattle this year? Check out the must do's, see's and eat's below.  

Stay:

W Seattle- Great location, hip but also suitable for small families. We were able to walk to all sights and very close to Pike market. Enjoy a night cap at Trace lounge before heading to bed. To book a room visit here.

Transportation:

Seattle is very walkable (when it is not raining.)  We used Uber to and from the airport as well as into Ballard for dinner. 

Explore:

Chihuly gardens and glass- Located right next to the space needle.  Stroll around the museum and take in the vibrate colors of the twisted glass.  His work is famously displayed at the Belligo in Las Vegas as well as the Seattle airport.

In the gardens

Space Needle- A must for first time visitors but once you have taken in the view explore the city by foot. check out tickets here.

Nordstrom- Lets just say this is the location that started it all.

Pike Market- Check out the aisles of fresh fruit and colorful blooms.  If you time it right you might be able to catch a throwing of the fish demo.

Green Lake- Grab your sneakers and hail a cab.  Enjoy a walk or run around this lake with the locals, just 10 minutes away from downtown.

Don't miss:
Capitol hill and Fremont districts. Emerge yourself in the eclectic and historic areas of Seattle.  Grab dinner at one of the new hip restaurants- see eats-

Eats: 

Pink door- Classic old school Italian food, friendly service with a great patio.  Sit inside and enjoy the band of the night while admiring rustic antiques.  Explore the menu here.

Moorse coffee- Need an afternoon pick me up? stop into Moorse, best all around coffee with unique décor.  Don't be surprised if you get a cute design on top of your latte, that is what they are known for.

cutest latte ever

 Staple and Fancy- Ready to leave the tourist area and visit a “local” spot? Take part in the Chefs tasting menu, which consists of 8-10 small plates of off menu items.  Be prepared to relax, eat and leave overly satisfied. TIP* Go early and visit the attached bar next store.  Reserve a table here.

Café champagne-Don't be afraid to sleep in. Cafe Champagne is great for a late breakfast or lunch, enjoy fresh pastries and quiche that would make the French drool.

Biscuit bitch- Great for breakfast or lunch, we were there for breakfast.  Order at the counter and grab a seat, fast friendly service with gluten free options! So tasty I’m still craving it.

best looking gluten free biscuit 

Marjorie- Enjoy dinner on the cute patio, a local favorite with friendly service. *TIP try the non alcoholic  drinks.

Pike place chowder-Noted for the best clam chowder in town.  They offer many tasty chowder options.  Grab a table outside and rub shoulders with visitors and locals alike. It was 80 degrees when we were there and the patio was full that says something.  Don’t forget to get some sourdough bread on the side.

Crab sandwich 

Drinks:

Radiator whisky- Love trying unique bar/restaurants?  make sure to put this on your list.  They showcase unique bourbons and whisky's of course.  Go for the tasting and try 3 flavors, you will not be disappointed.  Located above Pike Market grab a window seat in enjoy the view.  Review the drink menu here.

enjoying a bourbon on the rocks

Purple wine bar- Very close to the W hotel.  Get the night started at the circular bar right in the middle with a flight of wines from around the world.

The tasting room- Great spot to taste local wines, they have games you can play while sipping.

Clearly we had a wonderful time and did not waste a minute, we finished the weekend just outside of Seattle in Cle Elm for Emily and Davids pinterest worthy wedding.

Hope you enjoy your stay.
XoXo
ML 

Summer Holiday

The hubbs and I have been married for 4 years now, and we have done a pretty good job of cramming as much travel in as we could during these years before baby, visiting over 22 countries together!  We traveled {internationally} at least twice a year, sprinkled with weekend getaways domestically - fully taking advantage of all vacation days and every holiday, guilt-free!!  We figured once the kids come, we'll be home bound for countless holidays, and we're blessed to have family nearby and get to see them as often as we'd like.  Obviously a blessing and a curse.  ha!  {Totally kidding, family :)}

Earlier this year, we planned a summer anniversary trip to Portugal.  And in God's perfect timing, it also worked out so perfectly that this trip will double as our BABYMOON!  

My criteria for traveling while pregnant are 3 things: 1) European destination {non developing or 3rd-world}, 2) timed during my second trimester {when the health risks are few, and I'm not yet big as a house} and 3) culture along the coast! Again, even though we planned this trip pre-pregnancy, it falls seamlessly on all 3 things.  So perfect!

So here we go - less than a week from today - we're off to Portugal, Croatia and Germany for 15 days.  It sounds like a lot but I think its just enough time.

Here are just a few places of the beautiful places on our itinerary:

Hvar Island, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia 

{We're definitely taking the Game of Thrones Tour!!!}

Munich, Germany

Algarve, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Porto, Portugal

{All images from Pinterest}

Now, the only problem is....WHAT TO PACK?!?!?  Check back next week; hopefully I will have figured it out by then. 

XOXO!

Weekend in San Ynez

We are fortunate to live in Southern California, which means we can take some pretty cool weekend trips.  Last weekend we took a scenic drive up to San Ynez for some wine tasting/drinking with a small group of friends... or maybe large, there were 12 of us.  Accommodations can be a bit limited, be prepared to stay in a bed and breakfast like ForFriendsInn or the largest hotel San Ynez has to offer, the Marriott San Ynez.  We had a comfortable room at the Marriott which offered everything you needed for a quick weekend get away.  Our first group dinner was held at  The Hitching post ll, this home town restaurant had a cameo in the "Sideways" movie back in 2003.  The simple western theme rooms adorned with wall paper and cloth drapery takes you back in time, little county little 70's.  The wait staff is friendly and helpfully when choosing from their many wines.  Come hungry, each entree comes with a starter, and entrees are rather hardy.  Fresh fish specials are always on hand for the non meat eaters or a lighter fare option.  The experience was great and food was even better definitely worth a reservation. 

1.) Our "tasting" day started a little later then usual. Our first stop close to 12:30pm was Zaca Mesa.  A cute farm like winery which started in the 1970's known for their  Rhone like grapes Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, and Roussanne.  

2.) The next stop was the well know Foxen estate.  The wines were great and on a nice day you could let time pass while enjoying the view of rolling hills.  Foxen uses the term "pioneer" in the most modest way, with ancestors purchasing the land back in the 1800's.  Foxen Tinaquaic is the only dry farmed vineyard in the region.  That being said, they truly only rely on mother nature to nourish the vines, which happen to be the original rootstocks.  Hows that for a little bit of history. 

With limited time, we hurried down to the tasting room mecca of Los Olivios.  We parked in front of Byron, who is well known for their pinots.  The vast vineyard is defiantly one to check out on the next visit, the wines ranked at the top of our list.  Visit their website for special events, rumor has it the big 

5-0 is around the corner Byron wines

No wine tasting is complete with out a sweet snack.  For this last stop we wandered over to Saarloos & Sons satisfying the sweet tooth with mini cupcakes.  The wines are creatively named and promises to appeal to the likes of everyone.  I found that the tasting menu was a bit all over the place not really follow the typical light, medium, bold, sweet routine the palate is use to.  That being said, I really enjoyed tasting here.  The houses decor and large picnic tables and fire pits in the front make it very welcoming.  Staying open late helps as well.  

After a hours of tasting we worked up an appetite for some fabulous food.  Luckily for us The Wine Merchant a rather new kid on the block was just a few blocks away.  They focus on Mediterranean cuisine, options they served from the deli before creating a 5 star dining experience.  Choice from steak, fish and even gluten free pizza *warning* deciding on just one entree may be difficult.  Portions are large you may want to share a few items. Check them out Here

All in all a great weekend with friends!! stay turned for other local weekend stay-cations. 

Xoxo

ML

Crush on Chateaneuf De Pape

On our recent trip to Europe, we stopped in the well-known wine appellation of Chateauneuf De Pape. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the largest appellation in the Rhône, producing only two wines, a red Châteauneuf-du-Pape (which represents 94 percent of production) and a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The area is beautiful, dotted with castles and oozes in European countryside charm. And of course, wineries and their picturesque Chateaux fill the landscape at every turn.

We only had time to visit a few, and surprisingly most were very easy to access - no appointment necessary. And FREE.

Most notable stops were La Tour St Micheal, Clos du Mont-Olivet, Fortia and Beaurenard.  In general, the wines in this region (primarily red) are dark in color, powerful red fruit flavors and red fruit and overall rich aromas. 

A gem in Chateaneuf De Pape area is the medieval town of Avignon. Avignon is famous as it is the city to which the Popes fled when leaving the corruption of Rome in the 14th century.  Encapsulated behind the old city walls, the area is bustling with locals and tourists alike enjoying local Provencal cuisine in any one of the many culinary options or wine bars. The town seems to blend old world and modern - restaurants range from local hole in the wall joints to high end gelato boutiques straight from the likes of Paris. Its provides such a good ambiance overall and the good food is hard to miss in this small town.

To stay: 
Hotel D'Europe - Central in Avignon for easy access to the town's amenities. The surrounding wineries are minutes away via rental car.

Chateau De Varenne - An authentic small castle residence, the Chateau was built in 1738 but totally renovated in recent years. We stayed here! The building and grounds are gorgeous and feels very old world French.

Hostellerie Chateau des Fines Roches - Looks like a real live Castle for princesses and Knights. Seems like it would be a good experience. The property also makes wine - head down the road to the other wineries (mentioned above) for something of better quality.

The absolute best find: A liquor store with a variety of French Wines - in glass and in plastic bottles (seriously!). While we can't say much for the wine quality found among the shelves, it surely satisfied our appetite for late night refills. 

Auvoir for now!