Nestled among the 130 wineries of Northern Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley sits The Farmhouse Inn, a place I call home, or at least the home of my dreams. It was home base during our recent Sonoma Wine Country weekend.

As we approached after dark on Friday evening, the glow of the Main House decorated for Christmas invited us onto the property. We were greeted with that same warmth at check in and it continued throughout our stay.

Everything about The Farmhouse Inn, a family owned bed and breakfast, is romantic, cozy and simple luxury. Fifth generation Sonoma farmers and residents, Joe and Catherine Bartolomei, are the brother and sister team behind it. They purchased the run down Farmhouse Inn in the autumn 2000 and opened officially Valentine’s Day 2001. The Main House dates back to 1872. As Catherine says, “Farmhouse guests have a total wine country experience. It’s not just about luxury…its about authenticity.”

It’s a MUST GO for its incredible offerings…

Accommodations

Lucky for us ,there had been a cancellation in one of the Luxury Barn Rooms. After checking out our cozy Cottage Room, we walked to the Barn’s Room 18 and had to splurge on the upgrade…700 square feet on the top level of the Barn decorated in quaint barn house elegance. Tons of windows looking out onto the woods yet it’s super private. Indoor fireplace in front of the big comfy feather bed with same fireplace as outdoor onto our private deck with adirondack chairs. Bathroom with heated floors, steam shower and huge jetted tub. Comfy living room with mini Christmas tree. This is where I could live…just add a kitchen!

There are 18 rooms total at the Inn, cottages, rooms and suites. Each special in its own way and beyond comfortable, all have fabulous bathrooms with the jetted tub and steam shower or dry sauna, fireplace, flat screen tv, dvd and wifi. Don’t miss the Sonoma Bath Bar at reception for your extra rubs, scrubs and handmade olive oil soups to use while relaxing in your tub.

Service

In addition to the great decor and ambiance, the service makes The Farmhouse Inn so warm and cozy. From the restaurant team to Guest Services Manager Tamera Taylor and her team of 5 concierges, they are all at your service. They are well connected and in the know about all things Sonoma. We got great restaurant recommendations and winery referrals including their Winery Partner Program with 15 top Pinot Noir producers in the area providing Farmhouse guests VIP benefits. Also check out their blog for great stories.

Nightly turn down service gives you warm homemade cookies and milk! But before you turn in grab some housemaid marshmallows, yummy chocolates and grahams to make s’more by their firepit.

And you can’t miss Charlotte, resident Farmhouse sweet black cat. She’ll probably be around at check in and may even pop into your room if you let her. She slept at the foot of our bed one cold night during our stay enjoying the feather bed and warm fire as much as we did.

Restaurant

Each morning you’re delighted by an amazing farm-to-table breakfast prepared by Breakfast Chef Laura Danieli. Help yourself to fresh squeezed juice and Sonoma Roast coffee while you’re first course of seasonal fruit and pastry are prepared (our last morning was the best scone EVER…recipe on their website) followed by your second course choice of eggs or sweet. We got one of each every morning from delicious Huevos Rancheros to Baked Blueberry French Toast.

The Michelin starred restaurant offers the farm-to-table dining for dinner headed by Executive Chef Steve Litke. Food is sourced from Joe and Catherine’s family ranch and other local farmers. We celebrated my birthday dinner here with Wild Pacific Sea Bass, Roasted Breast of Guinea Hen and incredible desserts, Maple Pumpkin Custard Brulee and Caramelia Mousse Bar. Try their wine pairing with dinner to enjoy their world-class wine program led by the only Master Sommelier in Sonoma County.

Spa

Warm, cozy relaxation can be enjoyed in the Carriage House at The Spa at Farmhouse, a partnership with Francis & Alexander who have consulted, designed and operated many tops spas in the country, offering farm-to-table spa treatments.

Our 90-minute treatments of bliss were in a couple’s room. I loved Catherine’s Favorite, named after owner Catherine…a head to toe experience of the Farmhouse Massage enhanced with lavender, orange hair and scalp treatment, and foot scrub and hot wrap.

The latest addition of Joe and Catherine’s is a partnership with their Master Sommeilier Geoff Kruth, Lost and Found Winery. With grapes from a re-discovered vineyard on their Bartolomei farm, they will produce delicious and honest wines. Their first release is a small bottling of Pinot Noir.

Now you know why we’re simply calling The Farmhouse Inn…home.

Visit the gallery for more great photos from the trip.

Lots of 40^th birthdays this year including my favorite chain day spa located in Seattle…Gene Juarez. Opened in 1971 in downtown Seattle, their second location was the original Nordstrom Salon in 1974. Today ten locations strong.

My first Gene visit was ten years ago and after my lovely massage Saturday, I can say not much has changed, which is a good thing! Having visited many of the ‘chain day spas’ in U.S. and Europe, Gene Juarez remains the top on my list.

What makes them the best?

• Friendly and talented staff.
• Once you enter the ‘spa area’ the chaos of the rest of the salon is gone.
• Nice relaxing waiting area where you chill in your robe and get your pre-treatment foot bath.
• Awesome pillow top massage beds with fluffy soft duvets and heating pads.
• Spa shower… stone room with rainfall shower head, side jets on 4 sides AND it’s a steam room.

Now they offer Spa Parties. What a great idea! They’ll custom make a spa gathering just for you…whether a Bridal Shower, Team Building or just Moms’ Day out.  You can book regular services or mini services for the group, and for bigger parties they add spa gifts, refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.

Gene Juarez…forty and fabulous!

with a little pumpkin and a big ahhhhh! That sums up my latest spa visit at the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia.

It’s been a while since I’ve spent time in a Ritz-Carlton but was quickly reminded of the excellent service and high-end charm when I walked in a few weeks ago for a spa day of treatments and relaxing lunch.  As their motto says, “We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen,’ which exemplifies the anticipatory service provided by all staff members.”

Their Fall into Fall with Two Seasonal Treatments for $99 caught my eye when my girlfriend said let’s go to the Ritz for a spa day. My hours of bliss included:

• Pumpkin Peel Facial: Perfect for fall, this was a 20-minute gentle but effective pumpkin enzyme peel with light massage and mask. Did you know Pumpkin is great for the skin as its rich in beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc and natural enzymes? And Sophie is a great esthetician I need to go back to see!
• Express Pedicure: 30 minute foot treatment with soak, trim, buff and polish by Fariba.
• Therapeutic Massage: 50 heavenly minutes with Brian, an awesome masseuse. My girlfriend also loves Jimmy.

They have a full menu of Spa Journeys, massages, wraps, facials, hair, makeup, nails and also a range of organic treatments. And before the hours of relaxation, I worked out in their newly renovated fitness center but didn’t get time for the relaxation pool (full of natural salts instead of chemicals).

We ended our spa day with a light lunch at Entyse, their wine bar and lounge. It was the perfect fall into Autumn!

As we pulled off the paved back road just off the sea onto the quiet dirt road per our TomTom instructions, we came upon two white stone pillars and a gate which opened to the gorgeous grounds of Masseria Torre Coccaro. We circled around the drive and into view came the pure white washed main house of the Masseria dripping with pinkish flowers and green vines. I knew we had picked the right place to call home for our week in Puglia!

Masseria are old fortified farmhouses of Puglia… many have been turned into bed and breakfasts or to five star hotels like this one. Torre Coccaro has so many fabulous offerings and amazing service that you could never leave to explore Puglia.

* Grounds: Gorgeous gardens and olive tree groves surround the property. We wandered around our first morning after breakfast and couldn’t believe all the secluded spots we discovered. The vegetable garden was alive with grape vines, fennel, almond trees, radishes, chicory, zucchini, artichokes and figs. A secret path leads you to the billiards room and event space. There’s ample outside seating areas constructed out of the white washed remains of the masseria. There’s even a beautiful little chapel off the main courtyard.

* Accommodations: Our superior room on the backside of main courtyard was Italian rustic country style. Our front porch terrace draped with pink beach roses was complete with lounge chairs and table where we spent many evenings with a rosé watching the sunset behind the broccoli field and olive trees. As you entered through our red wooden double doors, you came into another sitting area then the bedroom with crisp white bed linens and white linen canopy hanging overhead. The only noises we heard in the morning were birds chirping. There are 39 rooms and suites to chose from.

* Restaurants: Egnathia is the main restaurant where the amazing breakfast spread is served…fresh fruit table, meats and cheeses, long pastry table or order from the menu. The dinners are divine! We had three here for the food AND atmosphere… low lighting, candles, sitting outside looking out onto the white washed Masseria. The Cabana by the pool is the perfect setting for lunch as is the Coccaro Beach Club where we had lunch one day. Opening night of the beach club restaurant was during our stay… a big crowd was expected for an into the morning party.

* Spa: Ahhh! You’ll find this sanctuary through a small secret red door. You descend the steps into Aveda spa that’s been build into the rock for a relaxing treatment. I opted for Massagio Olio d’Oliva as it’s the ‘liquid gold’ of Puglia. And the olive oil used for the massage was from the trees on the property! Whether in your treatment room or enjoying the whirlpool tub after, you’ll feel like you’re in a secluded cave. I used the Turkish Hammam then fell asleep on the lounge bed by the whirlpool. If you’re so inclined, there’s also a nice gym surrounded by windows so you feel like you’re exercising outside.

* Beach & Pool: The pool is a great spot to laze away the day. It’s constructed to look almost like you’re on the beach with a ‘sand’ entrance and surrounded by a small pier. Or head to the beach (a 10 minute drive or shuttle ride away) and enjoy their Coccaro Beach Club. We spent half a day here but wish we had more time. Swim in the blue waters of the Salento sea and soak up the sun on one of their beach chairs.

The Masseria staff is extremely accommodating. They can arrange many activities to enjoy like tours of the local towns, cooking classes or horseback riding.

Yet with all that’s available, Masseria Torre Coccaro is quaint, quiet and other than the lovely people around you at the restaurant or pool, we felt like we had this gem all to ourselves!

We’re off for two wonderful weeks in Southern Italy…Positano on the Amalfi Coast and across to Puglia! Lots of exploration to be done, wine to be drank, and spas to be enjoyed.

Check back 10 June for lots of great insights and stories from our journey!

Cheers!