A Weekend Away in Missouri Wine Country

Hey gang! Happy Friday! This week has flown by but also felt like a breath of fresh air! Literally — I feel like I can breathe…FINALLY!!  I’m not sure if its because I’m no longer working (for right now – y’all know my ongoing struggle with this issue) or because Tom and I went “away” last weekend and 100% disconnected! Probably a combo of both!!

I wanted to share with you guys my thoughts on doing a “stay-cation” and the little BnB I’m currently obsessing over!!

So – we’ve never done a stay-cation. Heck – we’ve only ever gone on a handful of actual vacations (thanks baseball ha). So with baseball starting up soon and the craziness that it brings, I really wanted to go away one last time with just Tom. But January is a really busy time of year for him with his workout routine being in full swing! (last year we went to Napa in Jan — NEVER EVER FREAKING AGAIN!!!! He was taking an Uber to a local community college in between wineries to throw – NO lie!! Miserable! anyway – ) But being that its January in Missouri, the local vacation destinations aren’t exactly “poppin” ha ha. So I pitched a few ideas to him and we settled on Augusta, MO. 35 mins from our house. Known as “Missouri Wine Country”. And full of the cutest Bed and Breakfasts.

Now we’ve never done a BnB. And to be honest – we were both skeptical! But God was on our side (per the usual) and we landed in the sweetest setup! Like LEGIT!

So Augusta, MO has a little “downtown” – aka 3×3 blocks of antique shops, restaurants, and wineries – most of which close down in the winter ha ha lucky for us (insert sarcasm)! And naturally I started my last minute scramble by calling the BnB’s in “town” thinking the first one I called would have a room – especially considering its January in Missouri. Nope! No room in the inn! Next one – same thing! So against my master plan I ventured outside of “town” and called Stoneridge Farms Bed and Breakfast.  The kindest human returns my call offering a room, promising a gourmet breakfast, and offering up “things to do” around town.

 

You guys – I can’t rave enough about the entire experience! If you’re from Missouri and you don’t go stay here at some point — you’re missing out! And if you’re not from Missouri — COME VISIT! Not only are Jeannine and Jeff two of the most accommodating, not over bearing, but friendly and personable human beings you’ll ever meet – their house and property are stunning!! Jeannine is an interior decorator by profession and a gourmet chef by choice. And she ROCKS at both! They are in the process of transforming this little country oasis into a chic, edgy, modern meets country bombshell. Jeannine’s touch is everywhere and its nothing shy of perfection. 4 large rooms with king size beds and whirlpool baths in the bedroom. Luxury linens. 2 of the 4 rooms have balcony’s. There is a gorgeous piano to play, they have old vinyl records you can toy around with, a host of books, and even a little “bar” stocked with local and imported wines to purchase.

 

So not only is the house gorgeous, the grounds are stunning (on a hillside, overlooking a vineyard, a little farmhouse, and a pond), and the accommodations perfection, but the food – OUT OF THIS WORLD! Jeannine is a chef by choice. Her love and passion for food – good HEALTHY food – shows through at each meal. Throughout the day we caught Jeannine meal prepping for us and her family (oh, their two grown kiddos live on the property as well and are gems too – the apple doesn’t fall far from that tree). And the gourmet breakfasts we received were seriously some of the best we’ve ever had!! Tom is quite picky when it comes to food and breakfast is his favorite meal – aka: don’t mess it up! Not only did he love everything she cooked, but he enrolled me in her cooking classes…that part is NOT a joke!  The beautiful thing about a BnB is that you can make special food requests or allergies/sensitivities. So Jeannine accommodated all of Tom’s quirks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now if you’re not local to Missouri, and you’re turning down my offer to visit – I highly suggest doing a staycation close to your home!

A simple, 2 night getaway to disconnect from everyday life.  We both brought our phones but only for emergency purposes. We really tried to disconnect from the world! And connect with each other! No dishes to clean. No laundry to fold. No diapers to change! And it was AMAZING! We ate dinner both nights at the local (only open) restaurant in town which was oddly enough called “The Silly Goose.” Parker says this all. the. time. so it naturally felt right! We met the chef, her mother, and her daughter (who the “silly goose” is named after). It was intimate and quaint. We spent all day Saturday with NO agenda! We moseyed around Augusta with no concept of time. We popped into a few wineries, ate, drank, and shopped for antiques, following the advice and direction of locals as we went. At one point we were on a scavenger hunt for Martha – an 80 year old retired school teacher who’s travelled to Africa twice and runs an antique shop out of a barn on her large farm property. “Follow this road until you see a sign for “antiques” – turn down the gravel drive and Martha will come out to help you.” Seriously! You can’t make this stuff up. I loved learning about our “area”, meeting new people, and talking life! There is SO MUCH life outside our little box!! And the best part – when the weekend was over we only had a 35 minute drive home!

Moral of the story – get away for a few nights! You don’t have to go far! There are beautiful treasures right in your backyard (ok maybe not literally). But disconnect for the monotony of everyday life, the hustle and bustle, and the responsibility. You owe it to yourself and each other 😉

-Meghan