My partner in crime and I needed to escape. Offensive non-mutual collateral estoppel in Civil Procedure was blurring into constructive conditions fixing order of performance in Contracts; the law school man behind the curtain gave no hint of slowing our hamster wheel, despite our wobbling legs. Pursuing a JD is definitely an endurance game, as almost any lawyer will tell you.
Fortunately, Spring Break gives a reprieve from the chaffing, chapping monotony of case reading right when it's needed most. Not a week to forget law school entirely, taking at least some time to re-center is highly recommended. La and I like to think of ourselves as fairly balanced, so we did just that. After a few days in Newberg, we certainly feel rejuvenated!
Newberg is a town about 30-45 minutes south of Portland in the heart of Oregon's wine country. Tucked against the edge of the Chehalem Mountains American Vinicultural Area (AVA), about 12 minutes east of the Ribbon Ridge AVA, sits one of the most magical luxury escapes in the Pacific NW.
The Allison is Newberg's premier five-star inn, complete with world-class spa facilities, an onsite vineyard, and fine dining...That pretty much sums things up. No need for me to recount the details. A visit in person simply cannot be missed. Minutes from over 100 wineries, the 75-room establishment made the perfect home base for our down time.
When we managed to pull ourselves away from the lap of luxury, the hotel happened to have a fleet of fully-trimmed Lexus vehicles for us to use at our leisure. We took out an IS F Sport to Bergstrom Winery to get the full taste of the Willamette Valley. Heads-up display, 300 horses of vroom, & active seat cooling. Well, yes. Yes, please...
The winery was a fun experience for La. She enjoyed learning about Pinot Noir, loved the blended Chardonnay finisher, and was tickled that we were encouraged to spit during the tasting process. Our friend and classmate Olivier sent us to Bergstrom on recommendation, as he used to work there, and we were not disappointed. Gorgeous views and colorful bouquets, especially the 2012s.
We can't wait for our next journey south... but for now, it's back to appellate brief practice.