Another trip to wine country

This post is an update on what we did two weekends ago. About 2 hours north of LA (you can take either the 101 or the PCH) you can head away from the coast through the San Marcos pass in Santa Barbara. Through the mountains you will be in the Santa Ynez Valley. This area was made famous in the film "Sideways," though to be honest I have yet to see the film. We often make the drive up for a day trip just to get away from LA. The above photo is taken in the car as we drive up the PCH. It was quite overcast that day, which is normal for this time of year in southern California. It's called "June gloom." It's gray and chilly, and I do not recommend visiting this time of year. You will miss the normally wonderful weather we have here otherwise. As you can see, the southern coast here is gorgeous.

We now have a routine for our trips. We start with a wine tasting at Curtis Winery on Foxen Canyon road. The whites here are fantastic! We buy a picnic lunch at the Los Olivos Grocery, and then head to Bridlewood Winery. Bridlewood is a picturesque place, and since we are members we can picnic on the grounds here near the lake. We usually do a tasting here, where the reds are our favorites.

Following our tastings, we head into the town of Solvang. Solvang is a Danish settlement, and the architecture reflects that. We often browse the world-famous antique store (cannot afford a thing in it) or visit the Hans Christian Anderson Museum tucked away on the top story of our favorite used book store. We always get a coffee and pastry at one of the many Danish bakeries in town! Below is a shot of the Solvang windmill.

It's a relaxing and fun retreat from the urban life of LA. We often head to Solvang with friends and stay for dinner.