Can you believe that Adam and I had never been to the Naramata Bench?! Our very own Napa-esque wine country here in BC, just a 4 hour drive away, and somehow this was our first time there! It won’t shock you, but we absolutely fell in LOVE. Not with each other, that happened like 9 years ago, but with the stunning lake views, the plethora of wineries, and the scrumptious local fare. It was simply beautiful at every turn, I had so much fun playing around with my camera, trying to capture it all.
Our trip wouldn’t have been complete without a celebratory meal (we base most of our getaways on food, don’t you?!). Since good eats are often a highlight for us, Adam surprised me with dinner at Vanilla Pod Restaurant at Poplar Grove Winery on our first wedding anniversary.
The views from Poplar Grove were breathtaking and I love the grand entrance. They made great use of their tasting room with floor to ceiling windows and a clear sightline to the Vanilla Pod patio. Our table wasn’t ready yet, so, twist our arms, we had to do a wine tasting while we waited. I quite enjoyed the Viognier.
How could you possibly have a bad time with this table?! I mean, for starters, the food was spectacular. I will be thinking about those potato cakes with tomato avocado salsa for months! We spent the evening reminiscing about our wedding day and how we’d felt exactly one year ago over more Viognier. The vantage point from their patio happens to showcases the sunset over Penticton and Okanagan Lake, which was just perfection.
As though that wasn’t already a memorable enough evening, our server came over and noted that she heard it was a special occasion for us. We nodded confirmation, as she informed us that Adam’s dad had called ahead to the restaurant and taken care of our meal! I almost burst into tears, isn’t that such a thoughtful gesture? Don’t worry, I did also ask her for the bill at the end of dessert like a total ditz, as she reminded me that there was no bill. Honestly, can’t take me anywhere. Big shoutout to my father in law and L for the sweet anniversary gift, poor Adam will never be able to top this one!
All photos taken at The Vanilla Pod at Poplar Grove Winery. We do recommend making a reservation to guarantee a spot!
