One of the most charming things about San Francisco is, of course, the famous Victorian homes. From the Six Sisters with their lovely view of the city…
…to the amazing details you see in any block.
As usual, I was fascinated by the doors.
Even the kids get into the act!
The owners of this Victorian showed us tourists what they thought.
Never mind, I don’t mind being a tourist as long as I get to enjoy these painted ladies!
This is the last post about this trip to Napa Valley. We hope to go again next year. Fingers crossed!
Although the tasting room was closed, we enjoyed exploring the grounds at the Beringer winery. The historic Rhine House (completed in 1884) is full of Victorian flourishes. I’m not crazy about their wines, but would love to return and see the wine-aging tunnels.
The gardens were in bloom. I decided this is where Emily should have her wedding reception (in 10 years or more!). Wonder what she has to say about it?
In the past, the town of Napa wasn’t much of a destination…a few hotels and restaurants and that’s about it. Several years ago, the city leaders starting making the town a destination for visitors to the valley.
Our hotel was close to downtown Napa and we checked out a few things:
We reluctantly said goodbye to Napa Valley. We could have spent a couple more weeks there exploring.
We decided to take the scenic route into San Franciso, driving through Sonoma Valley to the coast. Sonoma was startlingly green, with the most content black-and-white cows I’ve ever seen.
Crazy Bikers fought for space on the Pacific Coast Highway and we were really scared for them.
We had a lovely picnic at Point Reyes under huge oaks. We reveled in our Wine Country cheese, bread, wine, and chocolate picnics in beautiful settings!
And then we arrived at the beautiful Pacific Coast!
Beringer Vineyards: www.beringer.com
Downtown Napa: napadowntown.com
Oxbow Public Market: www.oxbowpublicmarket.com
Model Bakery: www.themodelbakery.com
The Fatted Calf: fattedcalf.com
C Casa Taqueria: myccasa.com
Kara’s Cupcakes: www.karascupcakes.com
Back Room Wines: www.backroomwines.com
Point Reyes National Seashore: www.nps.gov/pore
Thanks to input from friends and family, we knew that the wine train was a must-do. We decided on the lunch jaunt to make sure we had enough sunlight to enjoy the views. The food was a disappointment after the luscious dinner the night before, but the views were wonderful.
The leisurely ride took us up the valley from Napa to St. Helena. At that point, the engine switches to a bypass rail and moves to the other end of the train to take us back to Napa.
The décor was perfect for old-fashioned train riding and the wine tasting bar was raucous with vacationers. This was a fun way to get an overview of the southern end of the valley (and to drink more wine!).
During the train ride, we enjoyed the quaint look of St. Helena and decided to go back and look around. There were many precious, expensive shops. We tasted the olive oils at Olivier and admired the chocolates displayed as jewels at Woodhouse.
Next, we ventured up-valley to the Culinary Institute. This huge stone building was built in 1889 as Greystone Cellars and, later, Christian Brothers. The Culinary Institute of America purchased the property in 1990.
Several well-curated displays explain the history of this fabulous place. Steve really liked the corkscrew collection that Brother Timothy amassed. In fact, the labels for today’s Greystone wines feature corkscrews from the collection.
Unfortunately, it was the end of the day and we didn’t get to experience the flavor bar, but are planning that for the next trip! Either the happy hour special of 5 bites + glass of wine for $10 or the olive oil tasting or the chocolate tasting or the dessert sampler…hmmm, maybe all of these!
Napa Valley Wine Train: winetrain.com
Olivier: www.oliviernapavalley.com
Woodhouse Chocolate: www.woodhousechocolate.com
Culinary Institute at Greystone: www.ciachef.edu/california
Greystone Cellars Wines: www.terlatowines.com/wines/california/greystone
Our second day in Napa Valley was sunny and warm, so we took advantage and went hiking in the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. We climbed and climbed through Douglas firs and the easternmost stand of redwoods in California. Beautiful.
After picking up our friends, we went to a tasting at Hess Collection Winery. Entering through the lovely garden, we toured the high-profile modern art collection (which we didn’t understand) and sipped some delicious wines (which we did understand).
Our splurge of the day was dinner at L’Etoile, the restaurant at the Domain Chandon winery. The grounds were gorgeous (of course) and we marveled at the beautiful flowering plants that grow well in that climate.
We visited with the maitre d' and discovered that he owns a B&B in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Las Terrazas San Miguel). We'll have to check it out!
This was my first meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Of course, we started with a bottle of the Domain Chandon bubbly. The menu is limited and pricey, as you can imagine, but it was a real culinary experience. The Dungeness crab salad (90% crab, a bit of vinaigrette) was artfully served with an olive oil and Oregon truffle drizzle. The scallops and veal chops that followed were amazing. (By this point, I stopped taking notes and just enjoyed the experience, so the details are forgotten.) For dessert, we shared a dense molten-chocolate cake and a pastry filled with caramelized pear and crème brulee. Just as we were groaning that we’d never eat again, out came a plate of handmade chocolate truffles, caramels, and rose-infused marshmallows. Gilding the lily, indeed!
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=477
Hess Collection: www.hesscollection.com/experience/visit.html
L’Etoile: www.chandon.com/etoile-restaurant.html
Las Terrazas San Miguel: www.terrazassanmiguel.com
Although we were prepared for wet and cool weather in the latter part of April, we enjoyed gorgeous sunny days in Napa Valley.
First on our agenda was a gourmet lunch at the lovely Auberge du Soleil. The views over Napa Valley were breathtaking.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the luxury inn, they offered a two-course prix fixe lunch menu for $30 that I couldn’t resist. First up was a cream of (very fresh) asparagus soup served over crème fraiche and Parmesan. Definitely the best I’ve ever had. Next up was a perfectly cooked halibut fillet over braised fennel (not normally my favorite, but amazing here) topped with a tiny quail egg. Needless to say, I was swooning. Lest you think Steve was left out, he enjoyed a salad of huge lobster claw meat, hearts of palm, almonds, avocado, and luscious “Moroccan vinaigrette” over greens. We imbibed delicious De Sante Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc 2008. I never had old vine sauvignon blanc before – it was smooth and perfect for rich seafood. A most fabulous splurge!
We drove the Silverado Trail up to Calistoga and walked some of the lunch off. The town was pretty quiet and we didn’t linger.
We checked into the Westin Verasa Napa, a wonderful place close to downtown Napa and across the street from the wine train station. Our room had a sitting area and large kitchenette, where we enjoyed goodies we bought at Oakville Grocery: local cheese, sourdough bread, Napa mustard, chocolate, and great wine (of course!). They offer a wine tasting in the beautiful lobby every evening (and on the patio when the weather is nice). Due to construction around the train station, we got an excellent deal on our rooms but heard very little construction noise.
All this on the first day!
Auberge du Soleil: www.aubergedusoleil.com
Silverado Trail: www.silveradotrail.com
Calistoga visitor site: www.calistogavisitors.com
Westin Verasa Napa: www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1997
Oakville Grocery: www.oakvillegrocery.com
We found this little gem right on the beach in Malibu during another beautiful day in Paradise.
The original inhabitants grazed livestock among hundreds of acres along the beach and on the bluffs. Can you imagine this beautiful area being a ranch?
The daughter of the rancher and her husband (the ranch foreman) built this home in 1930. It is a beautiful specimen of the Spanish Colonial style so popular in California. When drillers discovered a deposit of unique clay on the property instead of the oil they were drilling for, the lady of the manor decided to start a ceramic tile factory. She employed local women only, many of them from the Chumash tribe who were the original inhabitants of the area.
The Malibu tiles, as they were known, we used to great effect in the home, from an intricate “Persian rug” complete with fringe to Mediterranean style fountains.
Photography is not allowed inside the house. See the website for photos of the interior.
The exterior and grounds were also gorgeous.
So if you get tired of the celebrity glitz of Malibu, stop by this place right on Pacific Coast Highway and experience a bit of history in relatively pristine surroundings.
The day after the conference, Michelle and I were the usual zombies. After getting boxes shipped, we headed to Santa Monica.
I was disappointed to find out that one of the best places to grab some grub in SM is the food court at the “top of the mall” (Santa Monica Place). They’re kidding, right?
Well, I should have known that this is a food court, SoCal style. Gourmet casual food, from excellent tacos to sushi to Persian specialties are cooked fresh to order. After getting your food, you settle in at the Dining Deck, a lavishly furnished outdoor space.
The view of the beach is beautiful and it is a primo place to catch a sunset, often with live music playing. This was exactly what we needed after an exhausting week.
Finally! I’ve been salivating to see the Getty since it opened. The Getty on the Hill sits next to the 405 overlooking LA. Parking is $15, but then you ride a tram up to the museum and the entrance is free. I assume some sort of mass transit will deposit you at the tram stop. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
The views at the top are amazing…from the hills to downtown LA to the ocean.
The complex is made up of several buildings, housing the permanent collection, exhibits, offices, conservation labs, and cafes.
We first checked out the European Paintings. The galleries were painted deep colors and the collection was impressive, of course...all the art money can buy.
It was such a beautiful day, we spent most of our time outdoors. Every step brought a new view: white curves of the limestone-and-marble buildings against the bright blue sky…
Monumental sculptures set in simple gardens with great views…
And lovely gardens, including this floating azalea labyrinth:
...and the cactus garden:
This place is must if you are anywhere in the LA area. I can’t wait for a return visit.
Copyright 2009, Beth SchraderThe day after the conference, we visited the aquarium. It provided the soothing, meditative zone we hoped for.
It’s not the biggest or best aquarium I’ve been to, but they had a great collection of jellies.
I fell in love with these little sea dragons that look like weeds. (This one is in the middle of the photo.)
Divers were in the tropical tank feeding the inhabitants. These sting rays were all over the window. We were fascinated to watch them breathing and eating. Scary, right Emily?
Copyright 2009 Beth Schrader
Although La Jolla is part of the city of San Diego, it considers itself a separate entity. The Village of La Jolla is where the rich and beautiful tolerate tourists and live in luxury.
There are differences in opinion about how the name of this village came about. It’s pronounced the same as “la joya,” Spanish for “the jewel.” But Native American legend says it means “caves.” Either meaning is fitting for this lovely area of bluffs, beaches, sea caves, and lush vegetation.
The beaches are truly spectacular, each with its own personality. My favorite is Children’s Pool Beach, so named because a 1931 concrete jetty created a fairly wave-free pool for children. Today, it is the favorite place for seals to frolic. Walk all the way out the jetty to enjoy seals on all sides.
We watched a darling baby seal follow a diver onto the beach. The Dr. Seuss story “Are You My Mommy?” kept going through my head.
Up a nearby bluff overlooking the ocean lies the La Jolla branch of the Contemporary Arts Museum.
The stunning building houses a pleasant café. The décor is chic, the ingredients are very fresh and the dishes are well prepared. The museum itself is all soaring ceilings and great views. The small sculpture garden is beautifully landscaped.
We drove up to Mt. Soledad, a hilltop with a military memorial and stunning views of San Diego and the ocean. The construction of a huge cross here has generated much controversy. It is definitely a spectacular site.
After all this sightseeing, we needed fuel, so we stopped at Azul-La Jolla restaurant. This site is part of a local chain that also includes Brigantine Seafood, Zocalo, and Miguel’s Cocina. The verdant courtyard was undergoing renovations, but was still a lovely place to regroup. The famous Azul margaritas are to die for! We sampled several plates of tapas (on special during happy hour) that were delicious. The restaurant has since converted to a steakhouse and many of the tapas we enjoyed are no longer on the menu. However, based on the quality of the food we enjoyed that day, I think the steakhouse is worth a try.
A round of shopping and gallery hopping finished out our excellent La Jolla adventure. We were even fortunate to happen upon a gallery exhibition on Dr. Seuss’s (Theodore Geisel) political art and commentary. Geisel was from San Diego and we certainly see where he got the idea for the “Dr. Seuss trees”!
Details
Children’s Pool Beach
http://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches/pool.shtml
Contemporary Arts Museum
700 Prospect Street
858.454.3541
http://www.mcasd.org/
Azul La Jolla Restaurant
1250 Prospect Street
858.454.9616
www.azul-lajolla.com
Dr. Seuss for President exhibit
http://www.kavanaughgallery.com/Dr_Seuss.html
Copyright 2008 Beth Schrader
San Diego has done a beautiful job of melding the Victorian buildings downtown with new construction. It’s a beautiful place to stroll during the day and a hopping area at night.
The Gaslamp Quarter is one of the US’s largest national historic districts. It is located on 4th, 5th, and 6th Avenues from Broadway to the waterfront. The beautiful Victorian buildings were constructed between the Civil War and WWI. A walking tour is the best way to appreciate the area: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/sandiego/0028020033.html, or http://www.carolmendelmaps.com/walking-tours/downtown/index.html.
The US Grant Hotel took our breath away. It was built in 1910 by US Grant, Jr. in honor of his father. The lobby has enormous crystal chandeliers and the rooms are furnished with beautiful reproductions. http://www.usgrant.net/
We had dinner at Croce’s Restaurant and Jazz Bar (http://www.croces.com/croces.shtml). It is run by Jim Croce’s widow and features artifacts and music from his life. Live music, often contemporary jazz, plays almost every evening. The food was fabulous. Michelle and I shared the pork chop (“Grilled White Marble Farms Pork Chop, gorgonzola potato au-gratin,, braised spinach, fire roasted roma tomato, in a bacon and caramelized onion hunter's jus”) and the halibut (“Alaskan Halibut, baked in a cilantro lime vinaigrette, pan roasted fingerling potatoes, sauteéd asparagus and red peppers, with chipotle pesto and citrus cream”). Both were delicious, but the halibut was our favorite. We sopped up every smidgen of the pesto with bread and were tempted to lick the plates! The pinot noir (Domaine Chandon, Carneros '06?) was a perfect match for the combination of the two dishes. We couldn’t resist the Fondant Au Chocolat (melted warm chocolate cake with fresh raspberries) for dessert and waddled out very content. The restaurant was especially important to Michelle because of her family’s love of Jim Croce’s music.
We had a wonderful time at the Contemporary Arts Museum (http://www.mcasd.org/) downtown and in La Jolla. The installations are usually large, often weird, but always interesting.
Horton Plaza is the center of downtown for tourists and shoppers. It’s a huge, multi-level center with stores, theaters, and dozens of restaurants, opening onto a courtyard that faces the Westin. (One of two Westins we spotted within a couple of blocks.) We had lunch on the top level at Panda Inn, a very pretty restaurant with outdoor seating that specializes in Mandarin cuisine. The Panda chain is scattered around SoCal and this version is much better than the related Panda Express group. We ordered the lunch specials of Phoenix Chicken and Three ingredient Taste (beef, shrimp, chicken in a slightly spicy garlic sauce). These dishes were fresh and tasty and the soups (hot-and-sour and egg-drop) were much above the usual Chinese restaurant defaults. http://www.pandainn.com/
To check out next time:
* Villa Montezuma, a few blocks east of the Gaslamp Quarter (if renovations are complete): http://www.sandiegohistory.org/villa_montezuma.html
*Anthony’s Fish Grotto or Fishette with views over the harbor: http://www.gofishanthonys.com/index2.html
Possible lodging downtown:
*Best Western Bayside Inn for lesser-priced accommodations (http://www.baysideinn.com/)
*Marriot Courtyard Downtown in a beautiful old bank building (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sancd-courtyard-san-diego-downtown/)
Copyright 2008 Beth Schrader
http://www.californiawomen.org/
Again this year, I had the Minerva Leaders (young women ages 16 to 22) who are chosen by various community organizations. These women are so much fun, but it's always a challenge to keep the sessions closed to everyone except the leaders and their chaperones. It definitely was easier this year -- we had a better plan for crowd control, but there were plenty of angry ladies older than 22 yrs. who thought they should be admitted!
Morning Session
The morning session theme was of the "you can achieve anything you want" variety.
Vanessa Williams was the moderator and the panel consisted of:
* Samantha Larson -- The youngest woman to scale the seven summits (highest peak on each continent).
* Laila Ali – Muhammed Ali’s daughter, who is also a professional boxer.
* Raven-Symone – Actress and singer. She has a TV show called “That’s So Raven”, but most of us will remember her from The Cosby Show.
Comments:
* Yes, Vanessa Williams is beautiful in person and didn’t seem to have much makeup on. However, she is much shorter than I expected…somewhere around 5’3” or 4”.
* Raven-Symone elicited many squeals from the group. She was very sweet about staying after the session and signing autographs and posing for photos.
* Samantha Larson was shy and polite.
* Laila Ali mentioned repeatedly the dysfunctional family she grew up in and seemed to be intent on “proving” herself.
Afternoon Session
Considerably drier in content, the afternoon session was sponsored by Wachovia and focused on encouraging these women to save and informing them about what it takes to be an entrepreneur. I joked with the speakers before the session that they probably wouldn't hear the squeals that met Raven-Symone and they were good sports about it.
The moderator was a woman who has written guides to finance for women. She was a dynamic speaker. The panel consisted of her, a Senior Exec VP for Wachovia, and a woman who started her own music curriculum company. Many Wachovia volunteers helped with the session and it went smoothly.
As the young women entered the room, they each received a sterling silver bracelet with a Minerva (conference logo) charm. I think the Wachovia logo was on the other side of the charm, but I didn’t get within 20 feet of the bracelets, so I don’t know.
Because this session was after lunch and was a discussion about finances, many of the women were nodding off. I was convinced it was all going over their heads. However, when we opened it up for Q&A, approximately 20 of the women went to the mics and asked excellent questions. Wachovia gave each woman a certificate for a savings account set up for them at their nearest branch with $100 in it. They were very excited. When asked what they would do with the money, many of the said “shop.” (Shoes were the most popular item.) The Wachovia VP said that, if they’d leave the $100 in the savings and watch it grow, she’d put $25 in a checking account for them and they could buy something on clearance. I think she got through to many of them.
Here is a photo of part of the operations staff (left to right: Martin, me, Robert, Michelle, Sean)
Copyright 2008 Beth Schrader
