Saturday July 9, 2016
Vixen Vittles & Hard Hat Tour of the new Murieta Inn and Spa
We were recently invited for a hard hat tour of the under construction Murieta Inn and Spa located off the Jackson Highway on the road to the glorious Gold Country and Amador County Wine Region. Great placement for this soon to open hotel, event venue and spa as this expansive property is close enough to downtown Sacramento to make it convenient and just far enough to truly experience the country setting. Before we donned our festive party hard hats, we were treated to a casual “picnic dinner” whipped up by the new Executive Chef and Culinary Director, Adam Pechal… a well known figure in the restaurant and culinary world in this region. Adam created thee most delicious fingerling potato salad with baby red kale, pickled onions in a creamy citrus dressing (not your grandmother’s potato salad!), as well as a very fresh Sun Gold tomato and bocconcini mozzarella salad with lemony sherry vinaigrette and basil. The salads accompanied a yummy sandwich of black forest ham, arugula, Sierra Nevada cheddar cheese with dijonnaise on ciabatta. We were additionally blessed with the opportunity to sample many of the regional wines that will be offered at the hotel restaurant which were provided by Ed Revak of Independents Wine Marketing. We picked a few faves!
Prior to heading out to check out the new digs, we received a very cool wine bottle opener “swag” and got the low down by poring over the blueprints and maps on the construction and amenities of this new project. We had so much fun with Jenni Quincy in the sales and catering department, and with Director of Sales & Marketing/Food & Beverage, Karen Henderson, who sure knows her stuff! Fun fact, Karen once owned Lila and Sage Bakery in Murphys, CA and was a winner of Cupcake Wars! She may have a thing or two to say about their bakery department… but she also was instrumental in designing the state of the art kitchen at the Inn.
The Murieta Equestrian Center is located very near to the hotel and we got to walk The Avenue of the Oaks within the complex that is calling for future stunning photos of newlyweds – am I right?
The new 4 story hotel is designed with California Missions at heart complete with bell towers. The Inn will also house a fine dining restaurant, 83 guest rooms, pools, a 2800 square foot event space and architectural elements that we cannot wait to see and experience. From expansive outdoor patios available for private events to a little nook designated as a whiskey bar for that special touch at your next event, this is a must see property!
Chef Adam is overseeing the layout and planting of the gardens with one full acre of raised beds and 5 acres of grapes. A seasonal flower garden is also being planned. The intent is to allow brides to pick their own flowers for bridal bouquets, and the fruits and veggies planted will be served for the banquet events and in the hotel restaurant. Now that’s Farm to Table to Fork!!
We’ll be making a return trip to see the finished product… a full featured review will be written. Our fabulous Vixen Venue Photographer, Mischa Purcell, must join us again. Thanks Mischa!