march: burgers, beer and backyard camping

March roared in like a lion in terms of workload, so our getaway for the month was a date day followed by an overnight campout…in the backyard. It’s easy to plan a staycation here with so many things to do, see, eat and drink.

We started the day touring a nearby camping spot, Elk Creek Campground, that our good friends purchased and have been renovating. This is a beautiful spot in New Castle, Colorado, that’s about 20 minutes from home and, now that we’ve seen it, is bound to be on our list for the year. It’s located in a beautiful, wooded valley right on Elk Creek. The new owners have cleaned things up and invested in lots of infrastructure upgrades—including full hookups at every site. There are sites in all sizes, including a couple for big rigs, and multiple cabin options. A new laundry area and rec room are in the works now and should be finished by the May 1 opening day.

Feb 07

travel tuesday: romantic glenwood springs staycation

Comments 2

There’s nothing like an opportunity to dress to the nines to spark a romantic staycation! The Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association‘s Annual Gala was last weekend, and my client Hotel Colorado won Business of the Year. Plenty of reasons to celebrate, so I booked a room for an early Valentine’s Day night out with my Valentine.

Jan 10

travel tuesday: wine + winter = winner

Comments 4

Barrel Cave at Colterris Winery in Palisade, Colorado

The first getaway of 2023 is a wrap! Just like in 2022, it was to Palisade, Colorado. This up-and-coming wine region is less than an hour from our house and it’s quickly becoming a favorite destination. It’s a straight shot on I70, no passes to worry about. I’m ready to go back now!

Our original plan included multiple stops to sample the local food and drink, but we had to whittle that down when they moved the KC Chiefs game to Saturday. It ended up being very relaxing, which was nice after the busy holiday season at our store.

May 17

travel tuesday: drink local beer!

Comments 3

We stopped by Boulevard Brewing Co. while we were in Kansas City, Missouri, visiting family last week. Though we’ve been drinking Boulevard Beer for years, and even carry it in our store, we’d never actually been there. Start in the Tours and Recreation Center, but be sure to schedule a tour beforehand if that’s on your agenda. It’s located on Southwest Boulevard, hence the name.

Jan 29

mini-staycation in palisade and grand junction

Comments 3

If you read my post about 2022 Plan Your Vacation Day, and I hope you did, you know that I’ve resolved to go somewhere at least once a month this year. We hit the ground running in January with a mini-staycation, just one night away, that set the pace for the year. You know that I love traveling and wine, and this quick trip let me enjoy both.

First stop, Palisade—the heart of Colorado’s Grand Valley AVA. According to Coloradowine.com, it’s 75,990 acres along the Colorado River, once called the Grand River, forty miles east of the Utah border— beginning in Palisade. Sheltered by the largest flattop mountain in the world, Grand Mesa, the AVA then spills up onto East Orchard Mesa and Orchard Mesa along the south bank of the river, and stretches right to the foot of the Colorado National Monument west of Grand Junction. (Map of wineries in the Grand Valley AVA)

Mar 13

where to eat in Sonoma County: four faves

Comments 7

We just got back from a wonderful, wine-filled week in Sonoma and Napa. It was an actual work trip for our liquor store. How sweet is that? Before I get to the wine, and there’s so much wine to discuss, I want to tell you about four restaurants we loved in Sonoma County. Two were recommended by winery employees. Locals have the best insights on where to, or not to, eat. The other two were found on Google.

Jan 25

burger and a brew

arizona road trip, part 2: exploring chandler

california – oregon road trip: a tale of beautiful drives, beer and cheese

Comments 6

Part of the beauty of the empty nest is that it’s easier to travel. Since I can work just about anywhere, I decided to join Scott on some of his business trips. Our first opportunity was just a couple of weeks into emptynestdom. I started the research and planning early, which gave us both something to look forward to and helped keep my mind off the fact that our lives were getting ready to change pretty significantly.

Scott loves to drive, so my jobs are to generally plan the route, pretend to be able to read a map, find stops along the way and look up interesting facts about the area. I usually take a few involuntary naps as well. Continue reading