Occidental(ly) In Love With Frankie Cameron Collection

Look 1: Frankie Cameron Brown Speckle Hid Clutch & Black Braid Bag, Red Floral top by Grey, L’Agence Jeans + Hunter Boots Look 2: Frankie Cameron Butterscotch Braid Bag, Chambray Eyelet Aje Blouse + Mother Denim Jeans Look 3: Frankie Cameron Burgundy Zip Bag, Shop Stevie Sister Maxi Dress + Burgundy Frankie Cameron Purse Look 4: Frankie Cameron Aqua Stripe Clutch, Gap Jean Jacket + Lord & Taylor Suede Fringe Skirt (similar here)

Ah, Wine Country… how you fail me not! Your vast valleys filled with vineyards, agriculture + farm animals and scenic coastal views keep my visual senses in “awe” each and every time I get to visit you. Not to mention there is so much of you to explore, which is why I was thrilled to pieces when the creator, and good friend of mine, Frankie of Frankie Cameron Collection (designer handbags) reached out to help her organize a bloggers getaway a few weeks back in Occidental, CA (a little slice of heaven in Wine Country) for the official opening of her online shop!

There’s nothing like female entrepreneurial support… especially when it’s catered around supporting your longtime friend and boss babe/momma’s designer purse line + some of your favorite blogging buddies (i.e. @paulinaperrucci, @bikinibodsquad, @chantellepaige and @5oclocksunday)! That’s right, Frankie. I am talking about you too ;).

I couldn’t be more proud of my dear friend Frankie (owner of Frankie Cameron Collection). You see, this mama had a simple dream of designing a purse that every woman could love and use for years to come. Her unique purse line caters to every type of lady. Whether you’re sensible, stylish, conventional (or a mom looking for designer diaper bags), Frankie Cameron’s sustainable one-of-a-kind leather handbags, clutches and diaper bags are handcrafted from cowhide and 100% genuine leather! Each bag is different in its own unique way due to the fact that the company strongly believes in using the entire cowhide. S0, no one bag is the same. I mean, how awesome is that!? Also, Frankie Cameron Collection just gets me and I say that because each bag is designed with a washable zip in/zip out liner (see here for cleaning + care instruction). Yes, you heard me correctly! A liner that you can take out of your purse and wash after spilling make-up, or finding a leaky pen inside, cause lord knows I am always wasting something in my designer bags – sigh. One of my favorite things about this line is that for every purse that’s sold, a portion of the money goes to supporting both homeless and low-income children through Project Night Night – a totally awesome non-profit organization that’s all about giving back!

About the getaway…

Located off The Bohemian Highway, this little getaway in Occidental lied 4 miles away from Bodega Bay – a place Liam and I have been crabbing, fishing and oyster shucking at for about a year now (see some of our previous visits here) and just so happens to be right where Frankie lives! I had no idea how close I was to her home even though she would ping, text and Instagram message me every time she saw me post a photo near her hood. So finally, I had made it to her dreamy hometown of Occidental after several weeks of planning this amazing Wine Country event with her.

We arrived in beautiful Occidental, CA, in the evening and got checked-in at the Italian styled villa that we stayed at for the event. After unpacking, we headed straight to dinner at the Union Hotel Restaurant & Cafe, which served insanely delicious Italian food, and the service there made you feel like you were family! If you ever find yourself in Occidental, eating at this adorable restaurant should definitely be a top priority. Oh, and be sure to indulge in their homemade Italian garlic bread – it’s the best I’ve ever had! Once we were done indulging it was time to hit the sack and rest-up for a day full of activities and wine tasting!

*Side-note: You might even recognize this lovely little town from a famous Alfred Hitchcock movie. Leave a comment below if you know which movie this famous Church is from 😉 .

The following morning we woke-up and got ready for a day exploring Wine Country, which was so wonderfully planned and detailed by Frankie!

The first stop on our wine excursion was Dutton Estate Winery, which was one of my favorite stops of the day. The ambiance there was relaxing and the wine was incredibly delicious! They also did a wine + food pairing created specially for our visit. It was such a unique experience overall. The pairing was nothing like I’d ever experienced before and I highly recommend checking them out if you’re in their neck of the woods… or vines, I should say 😉 !

Our second winery stop along the way was at Furthermore Winery. A winery known for its coastal Pinot Noir’s and a fun family style picnic area, which includes shaded picnic area and a bocce ball court. The coolest part about this winery is their company mission – they purchased the property in hopes of helping smaller wineries who make under 500 cases of wine per year. They rent out their winemaking equipment to offset the cost of purchasing and allow smaller wineries to flourish. Not only are they a local hero to small business owners, but they are my hero for bringing more wine to the world 😉 – I LOVE VINO!

As the wine tasting died down, our stomachs grew louder! So, we did what any group of famished babes would do after wine tasting and stopped for food. Frankie introduced us to the amazing Carr’s Drive-In with the best French Dip sandwich that I’ve ever tasted! The food there was mainly burgers and all things you’d expect from a typical American diner, but it’s definitely worth the stop if you’re looking for a cheap and tasty meal post wine tasting.

After we filled our bellies with fries and burgers, we thought it was only right to stop for homemade pie at Mom’s Pie Shop before hitting the road! Known for their apple pie, this little sweet spot bakes their pies fresh daily and are located right on the edge of an 8 acre apple farm, which was a perfect view to help us close out a day full of good times, lots of food, new friends and wine tasting!