Wine & Pasta Getaway!

Vino, carbs, and the most beautiful winter backdrop ever... what more could you need?

For the third year in a row, Peter and I made the hike up to Lake Seneca in NY for their annual Pasta and Wine weekend - our favorite winter getaway! Except this year, we had some family members and friends tag along for the fun, which made it even better!

For the weekend event, about 30+ of the wineries around the lake offer a small portion pasta dish paired with one of the wines! In addition to that, you also get to sample anywhere from 5 to an unlimited amount of wines off their tasting list! It really is a recipe for a fantastic weekend. Not to mention, Lake Seneca yields some of the most delicious Rieslings I've ever had!

And the good news for all you winter haters out there - they also have a Wine and Cheese event in the spring, and a BBQ weekend in the summer! You really can't go wrong.

We're already planning our trip back for the 2015 Wine and Pasta weekend! We came home with great memories, three cases of wine, full bellies, and some awesome new recipes I can't wait to share!

Here's a little glimpse into our weekend! 

I'm a sucker for all the adorable winery dogs! This is Io of Miles Wine Cellars!

The view of Lake Seneca from Miles Wine Cellars

Our group!

A very happy face at Fruit Yard Winery!

Hector Falls

Hector Falls

Outside of Hickory Hollow Wine Cellars

The basement filled with wine at Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars

The view from Wagner Vineyards

The view from Atwater Estate Vineyards

The award for best impulse buy while drinking goes to Peter and his new walking stick

my love :-)

 If you're interested in taking a little trip to Lake Seneca or any of the Finger Lakes in NY - I'd be more than happy to help with suggestions and tips! 

It's definitely a must see if you're a nearby wino!

Gypsy Soul

I'm a travel junkie, so I'm so thrilled to be linking up with Helene for the first of many Travel Tuesdays for me! 



If I won the lottery, I would use a chunk of the money to go to and see places around the world that I've always wanted to experience - I'm looking at you Tahiti. 

Mark my words, I will honeymoon here.

I lived abroad in the south of Spain for 6 months during college, and while I was there I took full advantage of the easy access to all of Europe and Northern Africa. You've been warned, this girl has got lots of Travel Tuesdays in her future.

Today I'm talking about a destination that's a little more attainable, Europe can wait until next week! 
Peter and I have a found our "special place" that is otherwise known as Lake Seneca, NY. If you're a wine lover, live within driving distance to New York, and have never been there, get in your car now.

It's our favorite long weekend destination, and we actually just made the trip up there 2 weekends ago! There's just something so romantic about being surrounded by vineyards, water, and wine.
Seneca Lake has a wine trail that goes around the entire lake and is comprised of around 50 wineries and counting! Not a wino like me? There's also a distillery and multiple breweries along the trail - aka there's something for everyone.



A typical day at the Finger Lakes goes a little something like this...
Wake up. 
Eat breakfast.
Go to a winery & sample wines.
Repeat as many times as possible.
Go back to hotel & take a nap.
Get dinner with a side of Riesling/Cabernet/Merlot/etc.
Hydrate.
Sleep.
Wake & start over from the beginning.

You really can't go wrong if you ask me! We usually try to go up when the wine trail is holding an event. In January we went for "Wine and Pasta" weekend, and in April we went for "Wine and Cheese" weekend. What this means, each winery has a wine and pasta/cheese dish pairing waiting for you when you arrive. Your job is easy: eat, drink, and enjoy. Then you move on to their tasting room to choose from their list to sample anything you want! Wine + food + me = happy! 

 
As always, we came home with full bellies, new recipes to create, smiling faces, and 25+ new bottles of wine to enjoy. And when we run out, you can bet your bottom dollar we'll be planning another trip up there to restock :-) 

If you're a Riesling lover like me, there is no comparison to a Finger Lakes Riesling. It has something to do with the climate and lake effects there, or something like that. I was more focused on my wine than the explanation given to me. It's really like no other.

Of course we couldn't leave without a stop at our favorite spot, Hector Falls.

Still not convinced? Look at this cutie we spotted when we were there in January...

Yep, that's a white deer. Not albino, just white from a genetic defect & very rare.
What a handsome guy.

BOOM total package long weekend getaway for all you North East coasters!



See all you fashionistas tomorrow for a red carpet recap of the Met Gala!