Bachelorette Party in Napa - 10 years in the making

I know I have many wedding specifics I still need to write about - like my India shopping trip that was over a month ago, but I have to skip chronology so I can detail out this past weekend - which is a weekend I have been waiting for and planning for at least 10 years. Let's just say that I have had the details of this Bachelorette party dreamed up far more than an actual wedding!

I have always dreamed of doing my big girls day in Napa - one of my most favorite, most relaxing, most beautiful places on earth. So, when my bridesmaids, and MOH started planning I had a pretty clear "A" choice. As my MOH, Poorvi, will tell you though, it was still a tough decision to make. Having girlfriends that were spread out all over the country, most everyone would need to travel. Half of the guests were in LA, half in Chicago, with a couple of people dispersed in other spots all over the country. So the choices we gave the girls were Napa for a wine themed weekend, Sedona for a spa themed weekend, Chicago for a local weekend, and Montreal just for kicks. The list got real short real fast - - - it was either the party I have always dreamed of or the party in Chicago that more people would be able to attend. The guilt I had was that I didn't want people spending oodles of money to come out to Napa, when they were already going to be spending so much coming to the wedding....but at the same time, I didn't want to sacrifice a weekend that I had my heart set on for years and years. So, at the end of the day, I chose what I had my heart set on and lived with the fact that most people could not make it.

Given that the wedding is 6 weeks away, I needed calm, serene, rest and relaxation with my closest girlfriends. Down time, good wine, good food, good company....bliss.

So, it was me, and my two best friends Poorvi and Amber. They are both like sisters - and although it was a small gathering - it was perfect! It was small, cozy, non-complicated, and I could share my time easily and equally with both of them.

We arrived to SF from Boston, Chicago, and LA on Friday and headed straight to Napa. After checking into the Westin in Napa (really nice, by the way) we headed straight to the spa at Silverado - where we spent over three hours being completely pampered to get into the mood for the weekend. We then had an amazing Italian dinner (Allegria) where I had the most amazing saffron pasta ever. We called it an early night so that we could taste our fair share of wines the whole next day.

By 10am we were out the door, and sure enough there was a stretch PT cruiser limo waiting for us outside with our awesome driver Gerry. We first went to two of my favorites, Domaine Carneros and Elyse .... and given that they are my most favorite wineries and that I collect wine, I didn't quite escape without a fair share of wine that piled into the back of the PT cruiser. :-) Our driver, Gerry, then took us to two new places which were small, and undiscovered. The first was Jessup Cellars, which had some phenomenal wine - and they don't sell to distributors - so what you get, you get there. The second isn't really even worth mentioning since we barely made it there before they closed.....however we did make ample use making fools of ourselves running around on their beautiful scenic lawn! .... Did I mention it was nearing the end of the day?!?! It was at this winery that I met another bride who, coincidentally, was getting married on the same date as me - in LA. Strange coincidence!

After a whole day of tasting wine, buying wine, and running around in the sun we said our good byes to Gerry and went out on the town for a spectacular French dinner at Angele .... phenomenal place....anyone in Napa should certainly stop by. After lingering over food and wine....and oogling at some of their staff....we sufficiently put an end to our 3 hour dinner by going to a jazz / blues club next door.....a rusty, small, cozy bar that served a Nickel & Nickel Cab....for anyone who is into exquisite wine, you will know how this can ONLY happen in Napa....and how this filled my heart with joy! :-)  Great wine, great scenery, great food, great music and great friends.....a perfect day and an even more perfect evening.

Sunday came too quick and we had an early morning start back to SFO so the Bostonite could get back home at a decent time. Amber and I headed to LA.....where I spent two days wrapping up some more wedding stuff on the ground.

The weekend gave me the perfect grounding and relaxation to get rejuvenated and enjoy the process long enough to smell the roses. With a skiddish landing, I was back in wedding planning land.....

....but, I know that although I have dreamed of this weekend for years and years.....my dreams certainly became a reality. It was a PERFECT weekend! Thank you to my two best friends for giving me such a gift that I will always treasure!