In an ongoing series, Keren Weinstein, our Guest Life-Balance Editor, took a much needed trip. More than the need to go on vacation to a new locale, she wanted to find her own sense of balance and thus Project Detox began. Last time, we headed out on a road trip. Today, Keren shows us that a tour in wine country is a must.

Pictures taken by Keren Weinstein in Paso Robles Wine Country.

"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance” Benjamin Franklin

What’s great about road trippin' is having a plan and going with the flow. It is exploration with freedom and relaxation.

In San Luis Obispo (SLO), local wines were big on the menus and wine tasting bars boasting local wines seemed to be everywhere. I was very close to the central CA vineyards. I could almost taste it. Next stop – wine country. I HAD to experience it.

It seems as if wherever you stand in California, a vino experience is lurking around the corner. If you are not surfing or hiking, you are drinking in the life balance. Either way, the good life is embedded into their every day culture.

True. I am a wine enthusiast. I simply Love a glass of great (red) wine.

Wine is Vintage. Modern. Biblical. Royal. Spiritual. Relaxing. Healthy. Celebratory. Elegant. Fun & Delic! They don’t call it “the mommy’s sippy cup” for no reason!

Like The Meal of the Moment, wine tasting (& even drinking a glass of wine at dinner or night out with friends) is a form of Mindful Eating. You acknowledge. Smell. Taste. Savor. Enjoy. Time freezes and then moves at a super slow speed. You live in the moment.

But tasting it at the vineyard--where you can learn the art & history of its making, actually see, smell, taste the grape itself, feel the energy of the wine--is unmatched. You truly experience the Experience.

Vineyards and wine countries are good for [my] heart. I may ‘love’ wine, but I am ‘in love’ with the environment with which it is harvested & made. Wine country regions are all unique. They have different grape varietals, experiences and vibes and can range from small family owned boutique style to large commercial corporations. But one thing they all have in common is that it is always an amazing life-balancing experience with grape perfect weather, beautiful landscaping, what seems like endless fields of grapes on vast rolling hills or some sort of a stunning backdrop, local produce or flower farms nearby, scent of lavender, olive groves, gourmet olive oils, bread and cheese.

It’s a relaxed atmosphere. You kick back and have fun. Smile from the heart.

Yes, I do agree with the saying that life is simply too short to drink bad wine. Obvi, if you can get to any of the other majors like Napa, Tuscany, Rioja Bordeaux or a region that harvests the varietal you love, you are ensured a wine tasting experience full of elegance and complexity (and of course cases of wines you just have to buy and take home). But wine country as an experience can be had and appreciated in virtually Any vineyard. And how great to go off the beaten path and discover amazing spots, wines, boutique style tasting rooms, lavender farms, locally made soaps, art, antiques.

Wine country rates very high on my list of places to visit and things to do for life balance. Especially when you are on a detox trip away from the city, work, business, children, husband. Even if you are going ‘just for the experience’ and cannot drink the wine because you are either pregnant, kosher, the designated driver, etc, you should still go for the sake of win(e)ding down.

Paso Robles Wine Country Experiences on Project Detox.

The ride to Paso Robles from SLO (which actually means "pass of the oaks") was filled with beautiful clusters of oak trees lining the streets and rolling hills. With the windows rolled down & my Chanel Sunglasses on, I looked out onto the scenic vineyards, breathed in the fresh air and instantly felt the benefits.

With over 170 wineries in Paso Robles, I was not short of places to go and things to do. Just short of time!!! I discovered a lot of hidden charms. First off, I learned that Paso Robles was rich in tradition of health & spa and was in the 1880’s a sought-out health resort destination known for its bath houses and mineral hot springs along the Camino Real trail. I discovered an area with great Paso wines West of Highway 101 as they are close to the Pacific Ocean & are planted in limestone soils (as with some of France’s finest vineyards). Found vineyards with wines made by the “Rhône Rangers” (focusing on grape varietals of the Rhône Valley of France). Lots of family-owned boutique style wineries tucked away in the end of winding roads. Commercialized vineyards with colorful landscaping that sell amazing wine enthusiast inspired products and gadgets in their Boutiques.

Breathtaking picnic options and bring-your-own-al-fresco-dining spots (OMG Eating outdoors! My absolute fave.) that make you feel like you are living the moment in an oil painting.

One ‘wrong’ turn and we ended up following a winding road to the best time we had in Paso Robles. Cass Vineyards & Winery was a great experience and departure from the standard winery. A family friendly vineyard (owned and run by the Cass family) that not only grows ENTAV certified grapes to make their Estate Grown wine, but is one of the rare places that actually has an onsite Café (indoor and outdoor seating) serving lunch pairings in addition to the cracker-cheese-chocolate in most wineries. The music and vibe was fun. Young. They host events with live music and have cooking & wine classes. Their space is merchandised with homemade cheese, jellies and local products, from food to art and music. I was having genuine fun. The secret to aging to perfection!

Don’t say you didn’t hear it from this grapevine.

It’s never good to keep things Bottled up. ‘Any day is a reason pop the cork…and breathe’.

L’Chaim.

Keren Weinstein is a seasoned professional in Fashion & Beauty with over 12 years in Integrated Marketing, Advertising and Celebrity Fashion Styling

In an ongoing series, Keren Weinstein, our Guest Life-Balance Editor, took a much needed trip. More than the need to go on vacation to a new locale, she wanted to find her own sense of balance and thus Project Detox began. Last week, we jumped on a horse and went happy trailing. Today, Keren shows us that a little road trip is all we need to continue to reconnect.

We all live in different locales. Different speeds. We do different things.

Have a different purpose.

Different lives.

But no matter what kind of life we live, it needs to be balanced.

The ‘balancing cocktail’ required to reach that equilibrium is different for each of us.

For some, a trip to a big city like NY or Tokyo may be what they need.

For this full time working urban mom, the prescription for ‘road to equilibrium’ sounds more like….

Take an all American road trip through California Coast with a great friend and call me in the morning!

A bit of a travel snob, I don’t normally embark on road trips as my choice of vacation. Usually, I fly (direct) to my destination and have researched and received recommendations on what to do, see, experience, buy, eat, sleep before I even step foot on the plane. I don’t miss a beat. Or do I?

There is something about road trips that gives you a sense of care-free exploration. Of appreciating the journey not just the destination. Of really traveling.

I can recall that feeling when I road tripped through the West Coast with my best friend and her family as a teen.

It was now time to reignite that engine.

I have been blessed with meeting and having so many amazing people in my life.

And thanks to eM, FB, t, SMS, MMS, BB, LinkedIn, etc. I get to keep in touch in lieu of my busy lifestyle. But, a very important part of ‘the balanced life’ (and remaining true to myself), is spending quality in-person time with my family & friends.

The next few days, was going to be about the benefits of friendship. And roadship.

We knew overall where we were heading but drove where the wind took us.

Have a plan and go with the flow.

A motto I swear by.

If you want to get somewhere in life (or in a given day) you need to have a plan. An intention.
But, it’s the plans that move with the current that survive and thrive daily tides and storms.

You need to Surf. Cruise. And breathe through life’s changes all while remembering to still have fun. Life is colorful. Not just black and white lists of to do’s.

The coastal fresh air. The amazing landscapes. The speed. The maps. The music. The picture pull-overs. The lavender farm pit stops. The conversation. The shared quiet. The freedom. The nostalgia.

The fun.

Who knew I would actually [still] be driving on a Journey through Myself?!

At one point, driving on the road with great music along the stunning backdrop of hilly landscape, it felt like we were in one of those car commercials. Turns out. ‘We were’.

We have reached San Luis Obispo County which is known to be the location for filming many of our national car commercials.

Considered one of the best stops for ‘Pure California’ between San Francisco and L.A., San Louis Obispo (SLO) was a perfect way to stray off course. And with the vineyards a few miles away the weather was grape perfect. The locals refer to it as SLO (to imply the ‘slow alternative to the hectic life’). It's a ‘natural escape where slowing down to enjoy the good life is the essence’. One might say I didn't stray off course, I was finally on the right course.

Surrounded by rolling hills as if suspended in the middle of nowhere was the historic mission town of SLO. A small almost European village-like town. Quaint. Vibrant and colorful. Relaxed and laid back. Energized. Playful. Almost caracature’ish. Definitely surreal. Happy.

This travel pit stop, I did not research in advance. I was going to explore on my own. Enjoy in a different way. Raw.

I walked the pristine streets and found myself in a shopping heaven. Adorable high-end boutiques and antique shops that were charming and unpretentious. (I later found out Lucky Magazine calls SLO it “Sprinkled with charmingly unpretentious shops”. Right on Lucky! )

Excellent places to dine, go wine tasting, grab cocktails, coffee or frozen yogurt. Many of them boasting local wine, cheese, produce, olive oil, fish. It was fresh and colorful and healthy and delish. It is no wonder the first Jamba Juice location began in SLO. They aren’t slow at all in knowing what is good for you.

After stumbling upon the colorful, quirky & famed Bubble Gum Alley and taking a trip back in time at Powell’s Sweet Shop, I felt like a kid seeing Willy Wonka ’s factory for the first time. The vintage candy. The sweet smell. The colors. The excitement. “What we really offer are memories. We want to walk our customers down memory lane and remind them of good things and good times.” Mr. Powell wanted me to find that core childlike happiness.

A killer song by The Police lead this 80’s child into a small café. In the back, I discovered a beautiful outdoor garden. Full of color. Crisp. Picture perfect.

I sat sipping my tea and with a journal in hand.

I was in the moment living the SLO life. I was in a happy place.

Now this is road trippin.

Start your engines.

Keren Weinstein is a seasoned professional in Fashion & Beauty with over 12 years in Integrated Marketing, Advertising and Celebrity Fashion Styling