painted rock estate winery

 

I'm exposed to weddings almost every day + I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have a dream wedding perfectly planned in my head. Spoiler: it's on a vineyard. So when I was given the opportunity to attend the opening of Painted Rock Estate Winery's tasting lounge to view this new venue firsthand, I giddily accepted. I also figured there would be wine there + that alone is usually enough for me.

Wine there was, along with beautiful views, cured meats + olives, ie: my favourite things. Thank you Painted Rock for the picturesque day. You have successfully convinced me that I...err, I mean the brides-to-be, could have an unbelievable wedding here.

I was one of those super annoying people who asked the event photographer to take a photo of me on my camera. I had to prove I was there, right?

a day on the rio douro

The day my family + I took a cruise up the Rio Douro, I had a moment. I realized that I would remember that day for the rest of my life. Exploring the Douro river has always been on my to-do list, but doing it with my family made it a far more magical experience than I had expected. We drank, danced + ate on the river between rolling vineyards. What more could you ask for?

casa de mateus

The cute little city of Vila Real is a short 45-minute drive away from our town in Portugal, making it a delightful little day trip destination. Between the vineyards lies Casa de Mateus, a palace most famous for decorating the labels of the popular Rosé. I've visited the palace a few times now, but it didn't stop me from enjoying a day with my family sampling wine + walking through the gardens. 

Before visiting the palace I had a very successful shopping adventure at Dolce Vita. It was pretty much the best day ever.