• Garden,  Oregon,  Wine Tasting

    A Visit to Stave and Stone Winery and Hood River Lavender Farms

    Spend the afternoon at a lavender farm and a winery all in one place in the beautiful Hood River valley. July is the perfect month to visit Stave and Stone Winery when the lavender is at it’s peak at Hood River Lavender right next door! Wander Around in the Lavender Fields Besides enjoying the scent of lavender as you walk around the farm, you can also purchase lavender at their U-Cut garden to take home with you. The cost is $14 per bunch. Hood River Lavender Farms is also a great place to stock up on lavender oil, soaps and lotions as well as culinary lavender and candles. While you’re…

  • Oregon,  Wine Tasting

    A Visit to The Gorge White House in Hood River

    The Gorge White House is a historic fourth-generation farm operating in the heart of the Hood River Valley since 1908. The farm includes 30 acres of orchards and gardens where guests can pick to their hearts content. I’ve been looking for an excuse to Visit The Gorge White House for a long time. We tried just popping by one year for Mother’s Day and that turned out to be a huge miscalculation as it seemed all of Hood River and the surrounding towns had the same idea! This time the Sipsters visited during the week and there were much fewer people! There is plenty of seating, so pull up a…

  • Food,  Road Trips,  Washington

    Girls Weekend in Bingen, Washington

    Syncline Winery in Lyle Washington Our girls weekend in Bingen was orchestrated entirely by my friend Melissa who was celebrating her birthday. We started off the festivities with a trip to Syncline Winery in Lyle, Washington. We were welcomed to the winery with a glass of rosé. The birthday girl decided to try a bottle of Picpoul as none of us had ever heard of it, much less tried it before. Here is the description from the wine list that piqued our curiosity “This intriguing wine has bright lemon balm aromas and flavors that are backed by lively citrus zest and wet stone notes.” I’m not sure what a wet…

  • Phelps Creek Vineyard
    Oregon,  Wine Tasting

    A Visit to Phelps Creek Vineyards

    A sunny Monday found us back in Hood River to visit Phelps Creek Vineyards. We ordered a grazing board which included salami, cheese, baguette, fig jam, olives, rosemary almonds, dried apricots and dates. Phelps Creek Vineyards Score Card I really enjoyed the wine selection at Phelps Creek. The whites were the overall winners for me, but I could have easily been happy with a bottle of the first four pours. The last wine we tried was the Petite Verdot. It was a little too dry for me personally, but it was still good. Of the two reds, I preferred the Pinot Noir. The Rosé was the lightest on flavor, but…

  • Visit Mt Hood Winery in Hood River
    Oregon,  Wine Tasting

    A Visit to Mt Hood Winery in Hood River

    A visit to Mt Hood Winery, located in Hood River, Oregon is a great place to spend the afternoon and features views as good as the wine. While you’re here kick back in the adirondack chairs or pull up a seat at a table and just soak it all in. The tasting room was built in 2008 on land previously occupied by pear trees. This space has a cozy Northwest lodge aesthetic with tall beams, a stone fireplace and large windows, perfectly showcasing the star of the show. The vibe is very laid back and welcoming. Whether you’re seated inside or out, you will enjoy sipping wine with panoramic views…