Debbie and I in the vineyard.

My best friend Debbie was in town for  Columbus Day weekend, and we spent Saturday with her and her boyfriend Jerry. We started the day off with a delicious roasted potato pizza for lunch at Cheeseboard in Berkeley, and then drove up to Napa Valley for some wine tasting! It was the first time in Napa for Debbie and I, and of course for Mio as well! Debbie has been my best friend of fourteen years, and some of my fondest memories of high school and college are those that I spent with her! I miss her so much now that we live on opposite coasts, so I’m really grateful for the time that we get to spend with each other! 🙂

Here are some photos from our day in Napa…

 

After a Cheeseboard lunch with the bestest.
Debbie and Mio meet for the second time! (This was after our Cheeseboard lunch in Berkeley.)

We went to Mumm Napa, which is a winery known for great sparkling wines! (Perfect for dessert wine lovers like us!)

Mumm Napa
Arriving at Mumm Napa.

Mio waiting patiently with Sophie.
Mio waiting patiently in her stroller with Sophie.

Checking out the selections of wine.
Looking at the wine selections.

Mio was causing quite the ruckus.
Mio was causing quite the ruckus.

Mio got some comments on her chubby cheeks:

Love the bubbly! I couldn’t have very much because I’m still nursing, but I did sneak a couple sips!

Dan's favorite picture of the day. Mio is drowning in her cheeks.
Hello, epic cheeks! This was Dan's favorite picture of the day.

After trying some wines, we went on a guided tour of the winery.

Our tour guide explaining the naming of champagne.
Our tour guide explaining the naming of champagne.

The rows of different grapes.
The rows of different grape varieties.

Grabbing for them!
Mio grabbing for the grapes. We got to try some off the vines, and they were surprisingly sweet!

Debbie and Jerry on the tour.
Debbie and Jerry on the tour.

Mio and Jerry
Mio got to meet Jerry for the first time! He was quite the gentleman, offering to hold Mio!

All smiles!
Look how happy she is!

Machinery at the winery
The machinery that places several wine bottles in crates at a time.

Mio got whiney (or wine-y… har har har) during the wine tour and got corked by the guide. She literally handed us a cork and told us that babies love putting them in their mouths. It was basically a passive aggressive way of saying, “Put a cork in it!” I was initially worried that it would be a choking hazard, but Mio was fine and the cork actually worked in pacifying her!

Mio got whiney during the wine tour and got corked by the guide.
A corked Mio.

Family picture!
A family picture after the tour.

With two of the most special ladies in my life!
With two of the most special ladies in my life!

With Jerry this time. :)
Special thanks to Jerry for recommending Mumm Napa!

We then headed over to Robert Mondavi Winery, which is apparently one of the largest wineries in Napa Valley.

Napa in the late afternoon... gorgeous!
Napa in the late afternoon... Gorgeous!

Checking up on Mio.
Mio is always the center of attention.

Walking around the vineyard.
Walking around the vineyard.

The grapes of Robert Mondavi Winery.
So picturesque!

Debbie and I by a cute owl sculpture.
The bestest and I fell in love with this cute owl sculpture!

ivy-covered walls
Ivy-covered walls at Robert Mondavi Winery.

The Allens in Napa Valley
Our little family's first time in Napa!

Another carved stone.
These carved stones marked what types of grapes were in the vineyard.

I love this one of them, too!
Debbie and Jerry -- my favorite couple!

My favorite couple! :)
Picture perfect! ♥

We had such a wonderful time with Debbie and Jerry, and I was elated that I could experience Napa for the first time with my best friend! I already miss her, and can’t wait until the winter holidays when I’ll once again be reunited with my partner in crime!

Debbie brought this adorable Missoni for Target onesie for Mio. We love it!!! It’s still a little big on her, so we plan to get a lot more wears out of it in the coming months. Thanks again, bestest!

Rockin' the Missoni.
Mio rockin' the Missoni.