Charlotte, Val, Karen, and Gordon are off to San Francisco for the night. Chinatown is a regular stop whenever they head up to San Francisco. Looks like the fog hasn’t totally cleared yet from this view at Coit Tower. George stops by for a visit at their hotel. Fisherman’s wharf is a favorite spot of Gordon’s. The group heads over to the Stinking Rose for dinner. Definitely a fun place for dinner. ...
On our way back home, we’ve decided to visit two places down in Napa. First it’s over to COPIA. We squeeze in a short tour of the place, and it’s immediately apparent to me that this is an all-day affair. Another one to put on my list for the next trip to Napa. What a cool place, with just tons of things to do. One last wine tasting over at Del Dotto. They have a great old cave system, and our tour guide was a very entertaining man that does the blending for the winery. It was a great chance to directly sample the effects of various barrels on many types of wine. ...
Today we’re doing some wine tasting. First it’s over to Joseph Phelps. I loved the relaxed atmosphere and style. Sitting on a deck quietly enjoying wine, while listening to the sheep in the vineyard was my idea of wine tasting. A very nice collection of wine, but with a hint of sheep. Next was lunch and a quick look around the CIA at Greystone. Lunch was really great, but I would have definitely enjoyed hanging out here for longer. Unfortunately our next wine tasting appointment is calling us. Just have to plan a bunch more time during our next visit to Napa. ...
Today we’re heading out from Meadowood to explore the area. First we drove up Spring Mountain Road and then back through Calistoga. We then drove up Highway 29 to Robert Louis Stevenson State Park. I was wearing my hiking sandals, so we opted for the short hike up to the small monument commemorating his honeymoon stay here so many years ago. Some very nice views, but the drive was very busy just like the bike trails map said. ...
Charlotte and I are off to Napa Valley for our 20th wedding anniversary. We decided to make kind of a big deal about it, while at the same time not going too far from home. We’ll be spending a few nights in St. Helena at Meadowood. It’s an incredibly beautiful place and our room was fantastic. After the long drive, we walked around the whole property for a little exercise and to check out the view. ...
After a tiring day of flying back from Bulgaria yesterday, it’s time to recharge with a nice hike through Pogonip and over to the UCSC Arboretum with Charlotte. They have such an awesome collection of flowers, I just couldn’t stop taking photos. I particularly liked this plant and it’s amazing flowers. There was no end to the amazing stuff in bloom today. It was getting late and we were both starving for lunch, so time to get back on the trail. ...
Charlotte and I spend the morning down at the beach with Gracie. Except for the incident with the large dog that attacked her, she seemed to have enjoyed herself as much as I did. What a cutie.
The weather is blowing in hard again this weekend, and I’m really hoping that we don’t lose power yet again. It is a good chance to head over to Gordon’s in Capitola to catch the waves and wind. Not quite as big as the last storm, but not bad at all. We head over to one of Charlotte’s favorite Chinese restaurant stops with her dad. They use plenty of fresh broccoli for the food and for the trees. ...
Charlotte got tickets to the San Jose Opera performance of Rigoletto for my birthday. It’s been quite a while since I went to the opera, and I’ve really been looking forward to going to this performance. Another treat is that Monica will be joining us as well. The new theater is very nice, and quite a bit more comfortable than the old venue. Amazingly, the cast member in the role of Rigoletto was unable to continue after the end of Act 2. After a short break, the other Rigoletto was called in and completed the performance beautifully. ...
Charlotte took Nick and Monica up to San Francisco today to take a campus tour of SFSU. I think it will be a bit to urban for their tastes, but it’s a good idea to see a broad range of schools. Nick’s most memorable moment on this trip musy surely be the seagull that took a dump on him during the tour. Thanks for the memories dude. Not a bad view of the campus from up here. ...