Mohican Weekend Part II: A Grape Excursion

Mohican Weekend Part II: A Grape Excursion

So you heard about part I of Mohican Weekend and the fun outdoor adventures we had. Part II is all about the fabulous place we stayed at, Old Vine Cottage at Ryder Family Vineyard.

JMK found this gem on the outskirts of Loudonville and Mohican. Although Mohican offers campgrounds, the Mohican Lodge and cabins, he hit it right on the money with this adorable, picturesque, & quiet getaway! Nestled on 12 acres of rolling vineyards, the backdrop and grounds were beautiful!

Although this place is called "Old Vine Cottage," it is anything but! The "cottage" is a 3 bedroom house with a full kitchen, 2 1/2 baths, giant deck, plenty of space and tons of fun stuff to do. Take a tour of the inside of Old Vine Cottage here. What I really loved though was the privacy and gorgeous vineyards just outside the window! What a view each morning!

Grape Excursion!

Each night we grilled out and had a fire, making for relaxing evenings and peace and quiet.

JMK and his primal fire building skills

On the second night, we had some super clear skies out there in the good ole country, so we built another fire, roasted s'mores and even saw THREE, yes, three shooting stars that night! (I squealed each time one passed and made a wish!)

During the days, we hiked around the 12 acre property and took on some fun activities at Mohican too.

Early morning vineyard photo :)

Strolling through the orchards on the property

The cool thing about this place is that it was bought by a family in 2010 and the adventure unfolded. They saved the property from foreclosure and revitalized the neglected vineyards into a treasure trove of grapes! They're in the process of getting the winery up and running on their property too so it was neat to watch the place evolve and support a family's awesome dream of opening a winery!

Driveway up to the property
Future winery on the left, cottage back right

The house was cozy, friendly, clean, serene and boasted beautiful views. Thanks to the Ryder Family for resurrecting this vineyard and sharing this lovely place with us! We definitely enjoyed the entire stay!

Signing the guest book

Next time you stop at Mohican, consider a stay at this fab find! Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway, family fun weekend, or gal pal fun--I highly recommend it, and by then I hope they have vino in full production too! Happy stomping, grape lovers! And keep JAMmin!

Weekend Recap: Cleveland Wine Fest & Celebrating Father's Day

Another awesome weekend in CLE and the perfect combo of relaxation, friends, family and fun!

On Saturday I checked out the Cleveland Wine Festival at Voinovich Park. Last year, I only got to briefly enjoy the Wine Fest because a big thunderstorm rolled in right off the lake. So I was pumped to get to go this year with partly sunny skies, new friends and lots o' good vino!

 

My favorite wines were "Paco Red Experience" from Jackson Family Wines and "Hob Knob Wicked Red." There was wine slushies, sangria, sweet, dry, whites, reds, blushes, local and international wines--something for everyone's tastbuds! Plus live music, great people watching, and a beautiful backdrop of the city! 

I had a blast at the event and was happy to hang with Sara and her group of CLE homies! Hooray for fun times and fab new friends!

To kickoff Father's Day, I wanted to surprise my Dad with a tasty dessert for our family cookout. There's a giant mulberry tree in the backyard that is just covered with berries and was begging to be picked. I previously pinned a recipe for a mulberry cobbler on Pinterest..so perfect timing! I foraged these berries, hahaha, and was so excited to try this new recipe.. I'm going to post the full recipe and steps but here is a little sneak peek :)

Holy mulberries!

Proof: I CAN bake!

It turned out to be a wicked success...and great finish to the fantastic burgers and sausages my Dad fired up on the grill.

Totally in the zone!

It was such a nice relaxing day with the whole family and just hanging out, cracking jokes with my Dad.

He's always known how to make me laugh :)

Like Father, like Daughter! Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Thanks for always helping me keep my sense of humor, staying grounded, encouraging me, and teaching me how to be "one smooth operator!" :)

Did you attend the Cleveland Wine Fest? What's your favorite wine? How did you celebrate Dad this Father's Day?