A Day in Napa.

Happy Valentine's Day from our little family! (Puppies not pictured!)

We decided to go out to Napa this past Saturday, which isn't far from our home. I used to live in the Napa Valley a few years back, and whenever I go back it just feels right. The atmosphere in Napa is so different than that of my hometown. Sometimes, you just have to get away, even if it's only 20 minutes down the road.

We visited the Oxbow Public Market, which is a high-end collective of shops and restaurant storefronts at the end of Napa. They have everything from a juice bar to a seafood and meat butcher to Three Twins Organic Ice Cream, which is my favorite! This gorgeous mocha was made at Ritual Coffee, and I barely snapped this photo before my husband chugged it down!

Whole Spice is a little shop in the Oxbow that sells every spice, flavored salt and rub you can think of! I can never leave without buying something. This time it was their Steakhouse rub, a mild yellow curry to add to cauliflower and rice and some ground chipotle to marinade steak with.

How can you pick just one?! So many amazing options!

If you haven't had Gott's Roadside, you haven't been to Napa. My favorite is the St. Helena location up valley, which is outdoors, but this one is just as good, just harder to find a seat. I usually get the same thing: a burger without a bun and sweet potato fries. This time, I got a cobb salad (with dressing on the side) and it was fantastic! You really can't go wrong at Gott's.

We ended the night with a game of "Ticket to Ride" with some good friends. It's a great strategic board game, and if you like "Settlers of Catan," this is a great game for you. It's less confusing but just as fun. So much fun, in fact, that we bought the European version the next day!