Tag: sneakers

Up Up & Away (Napa Day 4)

Madewell wrap, wrap outfit casual, Spanx moto leggings, Domain Chandon Napa Valley

When: March 7 // Weather: 50s & cloudy // Real life: more adventures in Napa Valley

Madewell wrap, wrap outfit casual, Spanx moto leggings, Domain Chandon Napa Valley

Madewell wrap, wrap outfit casual, Spanx moto leggings, Domain Chandon Napa Valley

Madewell wrap, wrap outfit casual, Spanx moto leggings, Domain Chandon Napa Valley

Madewell wrap, wrap outfit casual, Spanx moto leggings, Domain Chandon Napa Valley

Wrap (on sale) // similar Hat // Leggings (on sale and I highly recommend!) // Sneakers

Not to play favorites, but Thursday was my favorite day of our Napa Valley vacation. We got up before 6am (not usually how I start a great vacation day, but stay with me) and headed just up the road to Yountville. That’s where we met up with Napa Valley Aloft for a hot air balloon ride! I was kind of nervous (even though the excursion was my idea) but I was pleasantly surprised at how peaceful it was. As long as you don’t think too hard about the fact that you’re dangling precariously a couple hundred feet above the ground in a tiny basket, one faulty cable away from certain death, it’s really quite enjoyable.

Here’s proof of my adventurous spirit:

If you want to see more photos and videos I took on the balloon ride, check the “Napa Valley” stories highlight on my Instagram profile (@sarahsreallife)! Truly spectacular views.

Afterwards, they fed us brunch, and the pilot taught us about the history of hot air ballooning. Apparently, champagne plays an important role (I’ll let you Wikipedia that if you want to know why), so it only seemed appropriate to visit Domaine Chandon just across the street (where these outfit photos were taken). The sun was finally starting to peek out, we had bubbles, and we were still on a high (pun intended) from our early morning adventure, so it was pretty fantastic. In fact, we even joined Club Chandon and bought ridiculous swag to prove it. So yeah, that happened. We be fancy, y’all!

We had lunch back in Napa at Compline, which I would give 5 stars for the most creative veggie sandwich I’ve ever had (broccolini – whaaat?!). We had just enough time to make it to one more tasting (most places do their last tastings around 4:30), and we picked Jamieson Ranch. Since I was feeling like a baller after joining Club Chandon, I splurged for a bottle of 91-point 2016 Petite Sirah to bring home. We enjoyed our last sips out on the heated patio, which was pretty much empty because Californians apparently don’t go outside when it’s below 60 degrees. Whatever, more room for us!

Who’s hungry again? Yeah, me too. We wandered around doing a little shopping, then stumbled upon an Italian place, Ca’ Momi. It didn’t look super stuffy or fancy, but holy crap was it delicious. I also had a pretty tasty gin cocktail (with all that wine, it’s important to keep variety in one’s diet, obviously).

That was our last full day in the Napa Valley, and it was a pretty damn good one. I’ll have one more vacation-centric post, and then we’ll return to the old limestone backdrops and short, snarky commentary you’ve come to love (I hope).

Cheers!

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Vive La France

field jacket, Everlane tee, adidas suede sneakers, mini backpack, Paris vacation outfit

When: April 26 // Weather: 60s // Real life: Day 6 in Paris

field jacket, Everlane tee, adidas suede sneakers, mini backpack, Paris vacation outfit

field jacket, Everlane tee, adidas suede sneakers, mini backpack, Paris vacation outfit

field jacket, Everlane tee, adidas suede sneakers, mini backpack, Paris vacation outfit

field jacket, Everlane tee, adidas suede sneakers, mini backpack, Paris vacation outfit

field jacket, Everlane tee, adidas suede sneakers, mini backpack, Paris vacation outfit

Here we go: the last full day of my Paris vacation! It was a perfect last day – we did a lot, but not too much. There was a little shopping, a little museum-ing, and a lot of good food. We started with brunch at Hardware Société, which I heard about thanks to social media buzz from all the hipster foodies. It’s similar to the kinds of places I tend to go here at home, except…it’s better because it’s in Paris. I mean, I don’t get to walk by Sacré Coeur on my way to brunch in Indianapolis. I had a crazy French toast dish with dulce de leche panna cotta, poached pear, confit orange, and chocolate sauce (see it here). I know. In a less glamorous story, I went to la toilette at Hardware Société and knocked an entire roll of toilet paper into the toilet. I may not be allowed back, so please give me some new brunch recommendations for my next visit.

When we were on the way to brunch, I couldn’t help but notice all the cute shops in Montmartre. Soooo after we ate, we hit up a few of them, including Les Petites. Finally, a whole store for space-efficient ladies like myself. In Paris, I was just an average-sized woman; it was as interesting change being larger than children. I felt très powerful.

The last museum on my must-see list was the Musée d’Orsay, which was incredible. If you ever find yourself in Paris for a very short time and can only go to one art museum, make it this one. The building itself is beautiful, and so is everything in it. There’s plenty to see, but it’s much more manageable than the Louvre and easier to navigate and skip to the things you’re most interested in. I also highly recommend the café inside!

Afterward, we hit up a street crêpe cart right outside the museum (amazing) and chowed down while listening to the street musicians. Next, we walked along the Seine (pausing for photos, of course) until it was time to board a boat! We had multiple friends tell us the Bateaux Parisiens dinner cruise was totally touristy but totally great, and they were totally right. After 6 days and 40+ miles walked, it was a welcome break to just sit, relax, eat, and watch the city go by. It helped that the food was actually really good, and our waiter was hilarious and generous with the wine.

We got off the boat around 7:30 or 8, and there was just one major landmark we hadn’t been to yet: the Arc de Triomphe. We went and, probably thanks partly to the wine, were totally gung ho about heading to the top. Stairs stairs stairs stairs stairs stairs stairs stairs stairs stairs and finally, no more stairs! Until we realized, oh this is just the gift shop and bathroom area. There are more stairs.

Stairs stairs. But then! We finally reached open air and the view was absolutely breath taking. Maybe it was the elevated heart rate or the sunset or the fact that it was our last night in Paris, but Kristin and I both had an “I’m not crying, you’re crying” moment. Just a couple of cheeseball Americans on top of the Arc. Adorable, right? We took a million selfies and pointed out all the places we had been over the past week.

Still on a high from that view (a high? get it?), we took a late-night stroll down the Champs Élysées and stopped in a few stores that were still open. Eventually we had to head back to the apartment, but luckily, our Airbnb had a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower, so we got to watch it twinkle one. last. time.

Shoes //  Tee // Jacket // Necklace // Sunglasses // similar Bag