Quick and Random

Napa Valley was awesome. We traveled October 2-7. Tim came home on the 1st, washed clothes, took clothes to the cleaners and we left about noon on the 2nd! Quick turnaround.

Coman's met us at the airport - their flight arrived about fifteen minutes ahead of us. We picked up the rental car and went into San Francisco for dinner at a great little place called Tadich's. I had a martini and oysters - the oysters were not raw - creole, curried and rockefeller! Great stuff. We drove out to our hotel. We stayed in the town of Sonoma - at the Lodge of Sonoma - a Marriott property. It was nice but way too expensive for the amount of time we spent in the hotel!

First day (Friday) we started out about 8:30 and went to the Napa vineyards of Sterling, Markham, Martini, Cakebread, Heitz, Merryvale, Sattui, Black Stallion and Peju. Breakfast at Basque Boulangerie, lunch at Oakville Grocery and dinner at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen. Bought wine at Martini, Cakebread, Merryvale - I think.

Second day (Saturday) we started out taking a hike in Muir Woods then went to some more vineyards in Napa. Visited Luna, Darioush, Hagafen. Bought wine at all of them. Breakfast at Basque Boulangerie, lunch at some deli on the way to Luna, dinner at Go Fish - great sushi rolls.

Sunday we went to Sonoma - Sonoma Sunday! Started out at Chalk Hill, then went up to Ferraro Carano, Zichichi Family Vineyards and Quivira. Finished up at Benziger. Had private tastings/appoiintments at Benziger and Chalk Hill. It was pretty cool. We bought wine at Ferraro, Zichichi and Quivira. Food for the day - breakfast at this really cool croissant place, lunch at Oakville in Healdsburg Went into Napa for dinner at a restaurant that had been written up on some travel site but didn't like the way it looked. So we went to 25 Brix in Napa - it was great. I had mussels and they were in this amazing tomato, garlic and sausage sauce. Good stuff.

Monday Tim had to leave early. We had breakfast at Sunflower Cafe and dropped Tim at the hotel. Then we went to an 11 at Duckhorn (fabulous) - wine and cheeses. Then down to Stags Leap, Robert Sinskey - lunch at Oakville then to Robert Sinskey (great pinots). After Sinskey we met Rick Thornberry at Luna so he could lead the way up to his home. Rick is a friend of Steve's. We went up to his house, which was spectacular, and met his wife and had some hor d'ouevres and tasted his private Cabernet! It was an amazing way to end the evening. We were an hour late for our dinner reservation at Carneros (the restaurant in our hotel). Of course none of us were really hungry so we had salads...it was just what I needed.

Tuesday morning, up early and off to the airport. I got home 9ish that night. No one was home - no kids, no husband and no dog.

Picked Cassie up on Wednesday afternoon. She had a really tough time at the vet. She got very sick - vomiting and diarrhea. Sad and frustrating.

Gotta take shower and get ready for French lessons...