My good friend from high school Lizz and her hubby Rieks were in town from Singapore. They are both wine enthusiasts so we thought of taking them to Napa Valley for a tour.
We decided to go to the more popular destinations in Napa Valley for their introduction to California wines. Beringer Vineyards did not disappoint.
I went for a volunteer job at Habitat For Humanity in San Carlos and decided to go to Mint and Honey afterward.
I rarely venture out of the City for cafes. Mint and Honey was a great find in San Carlos. Quiet nook, friendly service and they serve good coffee. I'd go there again.
For our last wine tasting that day, Mijo, B and B and I went to Gary Farrell Winery. We hadn't had a lot of Pinot Noir tastings that day so it was great to finally tasting some.
Great service, great location with tasty Pinot Noir. I enjoyed tasting at Gary Farrell.
After our lunch at Barndiva, we walked around the corner and found Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie. We were craving for something sweet so it was a lucky that we chanced upon this ice cream and pie place.
It was a great addition to our day trip to Sonoma Wine Country.
As for our break from wine tasting in Sonoma, we went to Barndiva located in Healdsburg Plaza. The food was good combined with the relaxed atmosphere and great location.
Going there was a good addition to our Sonoma day trip.
We went back to Rodney Strong Vineyards to wine taste. We were here for the first time four years ago and we loved it.
Same great wines, same friendly and attentive service. We love Rodney Strong Vineyards.
We went for their Library Tasting and it was such a treat. Not only are their wines elegant, the entire wine tasting experience was absolutely enjoyable and one of a kind.
Thank you Jordan Vineyard and Winery for the unforgettable hospitality!
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We go to San Jose often but we never stay and explore the area. The past weekend, Mijo and I decided to drive down to San Jose and spent a night on the town.
San Jose's downtown is compact, walkable, neat and packed with sites that appeal to the taste buds, visually attractive and tickle the creative brain.
We saw the Kozlowski Farms sign from the highway on our way to Joseph Jewell Winery. We didn't have plans to go to Kozlowski Farms but we ended up going there later that afternoon.
I am glad we decided to stop by Kozlowski Farms for a quick coffee and applie tart. We even brought a whole pie to take home with us. That's how we loved it!
During our wonderful time sampling tasty wines at Joseph Jewell, our wine educator Andy mentioned that a nearby restaurant is great for lunch. That place is called Backyard.
Mijo and I went there after our wine tasting. We love the food, the service and the setting. It really felt like we were dining at our backyard. We love it!
Mijo and I were in Sonoma County to shop for a couple of bottles of Pinot Noirs. Where else to find great tasting Pinots other than the Russian River Valley area of Sonoma.
We went to Joseph Jewell to wine taste. We love their wines. Andy, our wine educator, was very knowledgeable and all around nice guy. Thanks guys!
Mijo and I have been planning a short weekend getaway north of the City. Bodega Bay came to mind. We both have been to Bodega Bay as a side trip but we've not stayed there.
The scene was picturesque. The air fresh, the view was relaxing, the sounds of the breaking waves soothing. As a bonus, we stayed at a place with no TV, no cell phone reception and no wifi.
We went to Sonoma during the week so no mobs of city folks, out of towners and tourists. Guess where we went for lunch? Where else but The Girl and the Fig.
There are so many wonderful restaurants around Sonoma but we keep coming here. This place must have become of our favorites in the area.
Mijo and I dropped by the Pacifica Pier to see the giant waves that have been pounding the already damaged portions of its seawall.
We also had time to walk around the Esplanade Ave. and have a quick lunch and coffee in the town's quaint commercial center.
Bob, Bren, Mijo and I went to Rutherford Grill after our wonderful cave tour and barrel tasting at Del Dotto caves.
Our first time at this restaurant was delightful and it was such a feast to our taste buds in addition to the great atmosphere and friendly service.
Our second of four winery hopping was Hagafen Cellars.
Hagafen Cellars does not only let you sample good wines, they are super friendly as well. One of the friendliest wine tasting experience I've ever had.
For our last wine tasting of the day, Bob treated us to sample wines at Blackbird Vineyards. We tasted here really good high quality wines.
Jonathan, our wine educator that day, was very knowledgeable and fun to talk to. Sampling very good wines while talking to a passionate wine expert are good pairing. Thank you Bob for the treat and Blackbird and Jonathan for the wines!
Del Dotto Vineyards has two venues in Napa Valley to wine taste. One at their Estate Winery in St. Helena and another one at their Historic Caves near Oaknoll.
We went to their Historic Caves and took the cave tour while tasting their delicious reds and learning more about barrels. Their wines and the tours were both awesome!
The past weekend, Mijo and I were in Sonoma for a day of unplanned wine tasting and a light lunch afterward.
Our lunch at The Naked Pig was also unplanned. We got lucky because the lunch was good. We truly enjoyed our light and leisurely lunch while enjoying the glorious Sonoma summer.
A week ago, the weather was beautiful. It was beach weather. That kind of weather makes it perfect to drive south of the City. The place we had in mind was none other than Santa Cruz.
We relaxed by the beach with a cold beverage and then we went to Santa Cruz downtown in the afternoon for a nice stroll on Pacific Ave. It was a perfect Santa Cruz beach day.