General's Ridge Vineyard and Winery

Because Dan and I cannot visit just one vineyard in a day, after we left Ingleside Vineyards, we headed a little further south to General’s Ridge Vineyard and Winery. This cozy winery is hidden down a picturesque back road.

General’s Ridge got its start about ten years ago when the owners, Major General Richard Philips and his wife Linda, purchased almost 100 acres in Westmoreland County. Through lots of hard work, they planted grape vines and renovated the old farm buildings, turning the property into a breathtaking escape.


One unique feature of General’s Ridge is that in addition to trying their wine, guests are invited to extend their visit by staying in a guest room at the 1800s Manor House or the spacious two-bedroom cottage. With the addition of two event rooms, the Vines Room and the Carriage House, General’s ridge is a great location for a combination wedding and honeymoon!

I loved the decor of the tasting room lounge
While 75% of General’s Ridge grapes are sold to other wineries, the vineyard still produces eight of its own wines, including whites, reds, a rose, and a dessert wine. Among Dan and I’s favorites were the GRV red, GRV white, and the Petit Verdot.

We had a wonderful visit to General’s Ridge, and on our next visit, I hope to plan a two-day trip so we can stay in one of the inviting guest rooms. :)

The Yotel in New York City

Dan and I had a great time staying at the Yotel while we were in New York City. The Yotel is a small chain of hotels with locations in London, Amsterdam, and New York City. At this hotel, rooms are called cabins and everything is highlighted with purple neon lights, giving it a very modern, almost Star Trek-like, atmosphere.

One thing that you should know if you stay here is that the cabins are small. You will not be knocking your knees into corners or anything (the rooms are laid out too perfectly for that), but it would not work well for a family trying to share a room. For a couple, however, it is quite perfect.

Dan relaxing in the room
There really are too many nice features about this hotel to describe them all at length, so here is a quick list of all the things Dan and I enjoyed about the room:

• Location and price were excellent
• iPod connections to the TV
• Lots of convenient outlets
• Good use of storage areas
• Comfortable bed and pillows that double as a couch
• Complimentary coffee, tea, and muffins for breakfast
• Organic soaps that work as shampoo and body wash and smell fantastic!

Dan with the funny-looking mascot
There were only two things about the room that were not ideal. The first was that there was really no bathroom door, just glass walls. This can be a little off-putting if you are not used to sharing close quarters with someone, or (it must be said) if you have to make a #2 visit to the bathroom. I understand that they chose to use the glass to make the room feel bigger and brighter, but it is a little bit of a surprise if you are not expecting it. :)

The second thing that was not ideal was how well the light switches were hidden. This is probably just a user error on Dan and I’s part, but I swear, we didn’t find half of the light switches until a few hours before we checked out. LOL

Overall, Dan and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Yotel, and we are definitely planning on staying there again on our next visit!

Cool robot arm that stores luggage