Tuesday's Tastings...

Like we have done for the past few years, my friend Karen hosted her annual birthday wine tour on the Niagara Wine Trail this past Saturday. While we have been to all of the wineries I'm about to mention before, this time I tried to take a different approach on each place... instead of going to just drink, I observed more -picking out what I liked, didn't like, etc. about each place. While I am no wine expert, below is my review.

I'd love to get to the Finger Lakes and do a comparison of wine trails in the months ahead.

Cheers!

-B

Honeymoon Wine Trail - while it is nice and cozy with the fireplace, I won't purchase wine or tasting from this winery. After what I think was poor customer service, I decided that even if we go there I won't support a business that I think needs some attitude adjustments.

I will mention they did have an artist painting this wine barrel which was pretty cool to see, but she was set up right by the bar area making it a little crammed when groups came in for tastings.

On my top 3 wineries on the Niagara Wine Trail: Niagara Landing Wine Cellar. I love just about all of their wines {minus the chocolate one}. I love the wine bottles, the layout of the winery and you can't beat the price - $3 for 6 tastings, that's a deal to me!

Perfect idea for those couples looking for something to do on Valentine's Day weekend...

Part of the wine trail group!

So many options to choose from...

Schulze Vineyards, while I'm indifferent with this winery, I used my tastings on a lot of their red wine, but did sample the Chardonnay last which was pretty good. The only winery that uses the nicest wine glasses to sample from, the tasting room was nice and clean, along with their bathrooms.

Freedom Run, this made the top of my list of favorite wineries. Not only because I love their barn they use for private functions and weddings, the customer service was amazing. While I don't know the gentleman's name who poured are wine, he was the nicest and most informational man I've met on all of the tours I've been on. Not only was the staff great, but it was a spacious tasting room with unique seats made from wine barrels.

You can't beat the sweet and hot pepper relish and apple butter snacks they had out as well.

Becker Farms, you can't go wrong there, while I opted out of the wine at this stop I ordered a pint of the Winter Ale {I believe that is what it was called}. It was a nice stop and I love all the areas where you can walk outside.

The last stop of the day was at Leonard Oakes, while I liked a majority of their wine and the layout of the tasting room, I didn't like are pourer. I felt like she was a little rude and hurried us along. Offering not only wine, but beer flights as well I thought the flights were a little on the higher price {$8 for 4 5oz. samples}.

Friday Favorites!

{Thank you Kate Spade for having the best phrases to start my month off right. #GoalsforFebruary}

Yay for Friday! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy that the weekend is almost upon us. I'm looking forward to hitting up the wineries on the Niagara Wine Trail tomorrow with some of my favorite people. Here are some things that made me smile this week. I hope you have a great weekend! -B

{A look at the frozen lake and Peace Bridge in the background}

{Catching up with a friend on my lunch break. You can't go wrong at Globe Market on Hertel}

{My husky, Sabre, he is the only one I know right now that loves this cold, wintery weather we've been having}

February To-Do

We are in the second month of the year and not to get to boring, but the beginning of 2015 hasn't gone exactly as I wanted {yes, I know that's how life goes}. While I focused so much on what I didn't do and what didn't go right for me, I need to think of what did. I met some amazing people and did some pretty cool things. I, {like I think most people are}, am my worst critic, I focus on always improving myself and the things that I didn't do, that I don't take the time to enjoy what I've accomplished.

February is about getting back to me - focusing on my goals and enjoying the things I do for me and not being so hard on myself {or at least trying to - this isn't going to be an overnight switch-a-roo}. So today I'm kicking it off by heading to Holiday Valley for the day. I took the day off and am looking forward to a day of Ellicottville fun with Annette.

A  couple other things  I have on the calendar that I'm looking forward to this month are trying some new fitness classes out {Barre at Catalyst, Pound at BikeorBar, incorporating a little yoga in my life - if you know of a good studio to go to let me know! and learning more TRX at Revolution Buffalo}, a Makers Buffalo Class is always fun!, a Niagara Wine Trail wine tour for a friend's birthday, the Polar Bites event benefiting the Buffalo Zoo and planning the finishing touches for my 30th birthday party next month. Who knows what else will come up, but sometimes its those "unplanned" adventures that make the best memories.

What are some fun things you are looking forward to this month. Leave them in the comments section below and I'll pick a random person to win a gift card to 716!

-B