NEXT STOP TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA
After a super fun visit to Oceanside, California, our host VISIT CALIFORNIA sent us west inland about about an hour’s drive to TEMECULA, the southern California wine country region. I thought I knew a lot about California but I had never heard of TEMECULA. Pronounced tuh·meh·kyuh·luh meaning “Where the sun breaks through the mist” Today, follow along as I take you on a journey through this beautiful little town with a strong connection to its history, and a bright outlook on its future. Visit Temecula
ABOUT TEMECULA
The hillsides of Temecula were the home of Temecula Indians, the first residents of the area around 900 AD. You can read all about its history here. This charming little town planted the first commercial vineyard in 1968 and by 1984 there were eight wineries in operation. They are also known for farming lemons, grapefruits, olives, and more. The City of Temecula (Visit Temecula) was officially named and incorporated in 1989. Temecula began to grow at a remarkable rate and today Temecula’s population is over 100,000. Yet despite such rapid growth, the City of Temecula has found a way to retain a sense of its past.
VISIT TEMECULA | LEONESS CELLARS
First stop was At Leoness Cellars ……the goal is simple – farm high-quality vineyards, produce award-winning wines, and impart guests with world-class hospitality and that is exactly what we experienced. Our lovely hostess Norma arranged for a delightful lunch with Mike Rennie, co-owner of LEONESS. Mike shared so many stories about his 5- year journey in the farming business. In the next photo below, you can feel the love in the artwork above the fireplace of his partner’s hands in the dirt. This art actually became part of their branding.
LUNCH
Our lunch in their award-winning restaurant included their famous delicious French Fries (which take 3 days to make) and fabulous Lemon Tarte and Chocolate Fudge Creation. I quit counting calories and enjoyed every bite!! So worth the indulgence!!
TOUR
After lunch, Mike strolled us through the property that had stunning views of Wine Country and a wine tour wouldn’t be complete without a wine tasting. I just received 6 bottles of assorted wines that I purchased before I left……saving them for special friends to share.
Leoness is the perfect backdrop for wine tasting & tours, wine education, exceptional dining, weddings, and other special events. Dine in the USA Today rated Best Winery Restaurant. At Leoness Cellars we had The Perfect Wine Experience. Visit Temecula
VISIT TEMECULA | THE VINE HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST
Our lodging at THE VINE HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST while in Temecula was carefully selected by our hosts. Owner, the stunning Lacey Britton invited us into to her beautifully decorated boutique B & B with all the charm Temecula has to offer. It was perfectly located to most all of our activities and a short drive to Old Town Temecula. Attention to detail was noticed from the individually decorated rooms to our delicious breakfast served to us after our return from The Grape Escape Hot Air Balloon Ride. We enjoyed a breakfast burrito, homemade pancakes, fruit, juice, and of course coffee. Needless to say, Shauna and I felt SO SPECIAL! Thanks for your gracious hospitality, Lacey!
VISIT TEMECULA | DINNER | SMALL BARN IN OLD TOWN TEMECULA
After freshening up we drove into Old Town Temecula for an intimate dining experience at Small Barn Modern Bistro. 28535 Old Town Front St. Temecula, CA 92590. Located in a historic building, Small Barn features a diverse menu of globally inspired wine country fare. Owners Cathy and Dan and their friends joined us for a classic, elegant, and rustic cuisine highlighting locally sourced products. Small Barn also provides beautiful outdoor seating on their patio, with a wrap-around porch and fireside lounge. The temps were very cool, so we opted to dine inside. What a beautiful display of food that was not only picture-perfect but oh, so delicious. We all had the best time! I give them a 10 for sure!!
VISIT TEMECULA | A GRAPE ESCAPE HOT AIR BALLOON
Can I just say WOW?! If you have never been on a hot air balloon ride then add it to your bucket list. It was a very cold morning for this southern girl but worth every effort in layering up to float above the Wine Country with THE GRAPE ESCAPE hot air balloon adventure. Look at the middle photo below….. our reflection in the clouds. So amazing!!!! It was very quiet and we got up to over a mile high which gave us incredible views of Temecula and beyond. Our pilot was experienced, knowledgeable about flight and about the areas we flew over. He also had a great sense of humor that all 12 of us in the basket enjoyed.
Fun facts- Pilot name- Bill does one ride per day, Kubicck Balloon size – 120′ tall x 80′ Wide, Balloons hold up to 16 passengers. Our basket held 12 passengers and we felt comfortable and all could see everything.
VISIT TEMECULA WINE COUNTRY TRAILS BY HORSEBACK
WINE COUNTRY TRAILS BY HORSEBACK gave this cowgirl an afternoon not to forget. My brown and white paint horse was named Chico. We got to know each other through our 90-minute trail ride through Temecula wine vineyards. He was more mature so he was easygoing. Shauna’s horse Scoobie had a little attitude so he was trying to rule the ride. Ha Ha….. Shauna held her own though! We rode with another couple and our guide Taylor. He shared so much about the country we rode through and he is definitely a cowboy who loves what he does!!
LUNCHTIME | AVENSOLE WINERY
After our busy morning, we had the privilege of settling down for a private lunch at AVENSOL WINERY. Greeted warmly by the manager Jennifer and Chef Taylor we were led to the patio for an array of healthy, delicious dishes. My savory palette loved her flatbread and went great with the tomato soup. My favorite dish was the roasted Brussels sprouts with goat cheese. It was obvious how Chef Taylor loves what she does from the deliciously curated menu she did for us.
Avensole’s 16-acre winery is known for its New World California style with a focus on Zinfandel, so we got to pair our food with great wines. Shauna doesn’t drink so I got her servings. Ha Ha!! Another
TEMECULA OLIVE OIL COMPANY
I did not know what to expect from our tour and olive oil tasting at TEMECULA OLIVE OIL COMPANY but like everything else we did, this experience was worth our time. Owners Tom and Nancy took us on a private tour and tasting with one other couple. We got to watch them harvest the olives and Tom shared that the olives would be made into olive oil by the next day. Now that is fresh!!
Their story is one for the books and I now have a new appreciation of olive oil. A foodie who doesn’t like to cook, I learned that I need to throw away my old olive oil regularly and that olive oil has many amazing health benefits. If you love to cook or if you need some great gifts, be sure to check out their online store to shop for the freshest and most delicious olive oils. Also, they are a popular place for weddings and other special occasion events. Just imagine a celebration amongst the olive trees.
IN CONCLUSION
A far cry from my love for the ocean but Temecula Wine Country was more than I ever expected. We crammed in a lot in 48 hours and I wish we could have had more time to explore Old Town. I fell in love with the land, the food, the people not to mention the wine. Visit Temecula! It feels like Tuscany but right in our back door!
REFERENCE LINKS FOR TEMECULA, CA EXPERIENCE
- LEONESS CELLARS
- VINE HOUSE BED AND BREAKFAST
- SMALL BARN IN OLD TOWN
- GRAPE ESCAPE HOT AIR BALLOON
- WINE COUNTRY TRAILS BY HORSEBACK
- AVENSOLE WINERY
- TEMECULA OLIVE OIL COMPANY
GO HERE~~> TO VIEW MY TEMECULA VIDEO
GO HERE~~> IN CASE YOU MISSED PART 1 | OCEANSIDE CALIFORNIA
STAY TUNED FOR PALM SPRINGS | VISIT CALIFORNIA PART 3
SHESHE’S TIDBITS
We are rolling right along into this year. One month down and 11 to go. WOW! This is the month of love so we love bringing you feel-good content. We have Palm Springs coming soon. separate blogs so stay tuned for Part 2 and Part 3.
I have been traveling again so I am slow over here as usual, but in case you missed it check out Valentines Day | 5 Ways to Love Yourself, Ways to Create Your Valentine’s Day Look 2024, and 2024 Pantone Color of the Year – Peach Fuzz,
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