snow... Santa Barbara style

 That means you can see it, but not have to deal with it.
My favorite kind of snow!

We enjoyed a wonderful day off from the grapeseed grind in the beautiful Santa Ynez valley yesterday... so gorgeously green from all the rain complete with pretty snow capped mountain tops.

 It was great to relax surrounded by lovely scenery, crisp, clear weather and (of course) some fun wine tasting! We haven't been spending much time in our "home wine country" lately; this was the perfect reminder that we are so lucky to live in such an amazing place. We enjoyed a pleasant picnic at RiverBench complete with a great tasting of just chardonnays and pinots. They do both extremely well and I'm kicking myself for not picking up a bottle of their delicious '08 pinot.

Surf (AKA Mr. Dirty Dog Organics) joined in on the fun. He enjoyed lounging in the sunshine on the lawn in front of RiverBench, followed by being fed multiple treats by the nice ladies behind the bar in the tasting room at Carina Cellars in Los Olivos. It was a wonderful afternoon and great to remember we're just 40 minutes from another world. We love relaxing in Santa Barbara's wine country, and that so many of the tasting rooms and wineries are pet friendly!