January 2, 2013
Before leaving our hearts in San Francisco for Napa Valley, our Trafalgar Tours group made a quick stop at a lookout point for the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge.
In 1933, one of the world’s most recognizable structures was created: The Golden Gate Bridge. It is a suspension bridge crossing “the Golden Gate”, which is the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. It connects the city to California’s northern counties and attracts more than 10 million annual visitors. The combination of its tremendous towers, sweeping cables, signature color, and Art Deco styling makes it quite a sight to behold!
In lieu of breakfast, I opted to begin my day with wine. While I do not recommend this for normal living, my motto for this guided vacation was: when in Napa Valley, do like the winos do. Our second stop was to a wine blending seminar at Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma, rated “Winery of the Year” by Wine & Sprits for the fifth consecutive year.
Inside of the winery’s barrel room we were privately instructed on how to create our own wine through a blending lab. We each tried our best to bottle our own perfection of a Carignane, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel mix. I have yet to taste my bottle, as I am saving it for a special occasion, although I am pretty certain that I will not be quitting my job to become an Oenologist in the future.
Following a delicious lunch at El Dorado Kitchen (where I was able to sober up some before even more wine tasting), we then headed over to Napa for a stop at my favorite winery in the area: Domaine Carneros. It is known for its superb sparkling wines and elegant chateau and grounds. In my opinion, one of the best thing’s in life is sparkling wine. I could probably drink it every single day and never get tired.
Sampling the different sparkling wines was an unforgettable experience for me, however the highlight of our trip was just right around the corner. . .
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I am Andi Perullo de Ledesma, a Chinese Medicine Doctor and Travel Photojournalist in Charlotte, NC. I am also wife to Lucas and mother to Joaquín. Follow us as we explore life and the world one beautiful adventure at a time.
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These are gorgeous photos! Wine for breakfast is almost always a good idea… 😉
Looks like a wonderful trip. I LOVED San Fran. x
Thank you sooo much! And I’m glad that wine for breakfast is supported by others!!! It truly was a wonderful trip! XO
I am so glad Gerard and I live an hour away.. we love the city and Napa! 😀
Soooo jealous how close you are!
San Francisco is one of my very favorite cities in the entire world. 🙂 I love it so much and MISS it so much. Your photos have brought back such happy memories to me today. 🙂
I can easily see why it’s one of my faves! I miss it so much too and I’ve only been gone for a month. Love that my photos help you to remember your happy memories!
You’re living my dream, Andi! San Francisco is one of my favorite cities. Glad to revisit it vicariously through your photos! great post
Awwww well I’m sure one day you will live it too darling! Thanks for your kind words!!
My favorite brigde!!! I don’t get tired of looking at it. Maybe this bc of my geeky side but I’m always amazed of how it can stand the high winds and earthquakes and still be ok!
I am the exact same way, though I do love the Brooklyn Bridge more. It’s amazing how it has stood the test of time!
You just reminded me why I adore San Francisco, Andi. Beautiful photos as usual. It’s such a spectacular city, with so much to see and do within an hour drive. I also love your “wine for breakfast” motto! 🙂
Haha I’m delighted that you like my photos and my motto! SF truly is a remarkable place!!!
LOVE your photo of the city skyline. You got some really great shots! And I can join you in the wine for breakfast club…sometimes it’s just necessary to fit enough wineries into one day.
Hahaha I like your rationalization!!! Thanks for the sweet words re: my photos! Love ya!!!
I have never been to San Francisco but that is exactly how I would like to spend an afternoon.
SF is sooo your kinda city!
Your photos are just stunning! Looks like it was an amazing trip! Mendi went to San Fran in September and fell in love with the city. Happy New Year!
Jayme & Mendi @ Her Late Night Cravings
Thank you sooo much!!! It’s a city so easy to fall in love with. Happy New Year!
Ugh, you never cease to amaze! Your photos just keep getting better and better.
And wine for breakfast? I think you might be ON to something, my friend!
Wow wow wow thank you sooo much for your sweet words — I adore you! Hahaha let me know if you try it…you’ll be feeling very good right away!
I love your Golden Gate Bridge photos! You make me miss my hometown!
Thank you dear!!! What a great place to grow up in.
I never get tired of looking at the Golden Gate Bridge!!
Agree completely! 🙂
Wowee! Such smashing photos of the Golden Gate Bridge! I especially love the one where the ground is in focus and the bridge is blurred.
Thank you sooo much!!! I love that pic too.
Even though I’ve been to SF, I never saw the Golden Gate Bridge. Envious, and in love with your photos and the vivaciousness that emanates from them and your words every time. Cannot wait to hear about the best part of the trip! xo
I love you, that’s all! THANK YOU!!!
I love San Fran such a great city – when I was there I cycled over the Golden Gate bridge which was an amazing experience. Beautiful pictures Andi.
Oh wow how freaking cool! I would love to do that!!! Thanks dear!
Lovely photos of the Golden Gate and Napa. Can’t wait to see what is around the corner.
Thank you so much!!! More to come soon I promise!
I don’t know how you managed to get such great shots of the bridge, it was so hazy that day – love!
Haha and I was thinking gosh I should have taken better pics, but I was SO tired! THANK YOU!!!
Gorgeous pictures! Your eye for composition keeps getting better!
Coming from you that is HIGH praise, thanks!
Wonderful images of SF bella!
Love the Golden Gate Bridge & those lined up glasses of sparkling wine make me thirsty ha ha I bet you they were great 😉
I agree with Kyle, you have a great eye for details!
Can’t wait to read next adventure
Love, K xo 🙂
Awww thank you so much for such an awesome comment, it totally made my day! I seriously could have drank all of those glasses of bubbly!!! TQM
Lovely pictures, this trip sounds like a dream! Wine and sunshine are all I need to be happy 🙂
Yes, total dream! I might have even pinched myself. 😉
How did you get such gorgeous photos from our short stop at the Golden Gate Bridge?! You are so amazing!!
Haha you’re TOO sweet!!! Maybe they’re gorgeous, but not as gorgeous as you. 😉
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Beautiful pictures! You managed to do the impossible: make me miss San Francisco 😉
Also, I went to Hog Island with Abby actually in 2011. And Domaine Carneros and Domaine Chandon are my faaaaaavorites. Love the photo of all the glasses of bubbly!
(And FYI, I’ve been having a really hard time loading your site lately. Maybe it’s all the images. Just thought I’d tell you that–you could possibly make the res lower for faster load speed?)
Awww yay I’m so glad that I was able to make you miss it if even for a second!!! That’s so cool that you went to the same place with Abby as I did. I’m following in your footsteps.
I have actually made my site 100X faster in the last month (all my images are VERY low res), so I don’t think it’s the images. Must be something else?
SF on a sunny day is so special. Lovely photos, Andi. I feel so fortunate to live so close to Napa and SF, but I need to get to SF more often! I wonder what the real highlight of your trip was as you mentioned at the end…? Looking forward to finding out!
You are definitely SO lucky to live so close!!! I would be going to Napa all the time haha.
Gorgeous photos – I especially like photos of the San Fran bridge!
Thank you x a million!