At Home Again...Naturally

Well, we're back home. After sleeping off my flying drugs all day Monday, it was back to the office today. To think, a mere 72 hours ago were were in gorgeous Napa Valley, having the time of our lives with our fabulous and best friends. I miss it already. Pictures are uploaded. The vacation feeling is fading...we'll have to start drinking all that wine to get it back.

Not sure what our next adventure will be, but I'm sure it will involve some sort of alcohol, great food, and exhausting climbs.

Peace!

Last Day...death by Pliny

Today is our last day in Cali, and we started bright and early at the King Tut exhibit at the De Young Museum. It was really cool, but I kind of expected more stuff. The detail on the artifacts was unreal, and it must have been mind blowing to discover it. The big headpiece never leaves Cairo, and we are so jealous that Charlie got to see it when he was there.

We then left for our three brewery crawl north of the bay area. We stopped in at Moylan's and had a bite while Chris had a near stroke watching the football game. I think it was obvious that he was the only happy person in the bar at the end. Well, I guess when you pay that much for something, he had better come through when it counts.

We then drove up to Lagunitas in Petaluma. They had this new, very rough tasting room. It was ok, but way cheap. We weren't there very long...which was ok.

We are in Santa Rosa now, eating and drinking at Russian River. Seriously, if I could jump in a vat of Pliny the Elder (double IPA) I would. So, so tasty...it's a pity I'm DD today. All of these beers are ridiculously phenomenal. If only they distributed to MN...

We're going to take in a movie next, as is our pre-red eye ritual. Final blog coming soon...

Napa Valley, Day 3

Today we drove up to Napa to hit the wineries. It was hotter than hell - at least 100 degrees and bright sun. Jon gets the sainthood award...he was our DD for the entire day. Nancy gets the sainthood award too, since they brought us around on all of their wine club memberships. They are such fantastic friends!! Oh, and I made it over the Bay Bridge without having a major meltdown. Jon is an excellent driver. Above is a picture of me smiling going over the bridge - can you believe it?

We started at Rubicon, and had some great wines and some not so great ones. This is the winery that Francis Ford Coppola owns,so it was pretty cool. Next we did a tasting of sparkling wines at Mumm - some good ones but the service was not so good. After that we went to Miner...um...you could skip this one for ever. Their wines were way overpriced and pretty unremarkable, bordering on shitty. There was one that tasted like salami. No shit. Jon almost threw up at the tasting counter. Skip it.

Next stop was at Sinsky - they had a great pinot noir. After that we went to Sterling and had the cellar club tasting (thanks to our friends!). It was wonderful. Got some great wine and had a great time. I even rode the gondola without freaking out (see picture of me and Chris above - again...smiling!!)! After changing our clothes in the parking lot of a restaurant - we're a class act - we went to the grape stomp at Castello di Amorosa. SO FUN!!! Great wines that you can only get there. Good food, and an amazing time spent with our great friends.

Finally, we stopped in at Fantesca, Nancy's sister's winery. It was beyond beautiful.

Slept all the way back into San Fran, got packed, and we're ready for our last day tomorrow. Today was so great, if we ever come back, we will stay in Napa.

I forgot to add this in the original post - my teeth and Chris's teeth turned blue from all the red wine. We looked like freaks! It was like some weird pseudo-Oompah Loompah-like look for us. Not attractive. I don't think I took any pictures, thank God.

The Rock, Day 2, Night Cruise

After a brief nap, we took a night cruise to Alcatraz. It was a beautiful night in San Francisco, and when we got to Alcatraz...you guessed it...we had to walk uphill via zig zig all the way up to the top. The tour was cool, and you really get a feel for what a horrible place it would be.

After the cruise, we went for a late dinner at an Italian restaurant. The waitress was apathetic, and the food average. Although Chris's pizza and Jon's ravioli were great. Nancy got chicken that had some kind of sauce on it that was so hot it even scared Chris. Had we eaten it, I would have feared for our insides. C'est la vie.

We all went back to the hotels and passed out. I'll need Tina to fill me in on what exactly she loves so much about San Francisco.

Cupcake? White Russian? You'll need a loan...Day 2

Started early this morning and took a cable car back down to the wharf with Nan & Jon. Walked down to Ghirardelli Square, and bought a cupcake for $3.25. We're on the ferry now over to Tiburon, and Jon got two white Russians for nine bucks a piece. This ain't Minneapolis prices anymore kiddies! Sam's Anchor Cafe in Tiburon is supposed to be fabulous, so hopefully it won't disappoint...

Sam's was great...wine choice left a little to be desired, but the fish and chips were awesome. Back on the ferry, sufficiently lubed up. Off to Nob Hill and Chinatown to by fortune cookies with naughty messages. Good times. Tiburon was beautiful, this is where one should stay if you come here...Sausalito or Tiburon or Napa. We have all decided that maybe San Fran is a little scuzzy for us...we must be missing something that everyone else gets.

So after we got off the ferry back from Tiburon, our next stop was to go to Russian Hill and Chinatown. Nancy had an idea...we should walk the six blocks rather than wait in line for an hour for a cable car. I don't like her very much anymore. We walked the six blocks. STRAIGHT UP A FUCKING HILL. Seriously, it was at least a 45 degree angle if not steeper. And every cable car we flagged down was full. Jesus Christ - we got our workout today. We were laughing hysterically by the time we got to the top. Check out the picture...yes, we were at the BOTTOM.

We walked all the way through Russian Hill down to Chinatown for the cookies (which were nummy). We finally caught a cable car. Back now at the hotel for a nap, drink, and then off to our Alcatraz cruise!

The San Francisco Treat, Day 1, Night

Screw Rice a Roni, the San Francisco treat should be the ricotta gnocchi I just had for dinner at Zuni Cafe. My friend Carl suggested it, and it was amazing. The ceasar salad was awesome, and Chris's salmon was perfect. There hasn't been much sun so there shouldn't be a repeat of what we like to call, "the sunburn incident." We are sufficiently in food comas.

Tomorrow is a busy day starting in Sausalito via the ferry!

The Streets of San Francisco, Day 1, Morning/Afternoon

We woke up early this morning, and then were roused out of bed about 7:00 am. We started our day with a cable car ride down to Fisherman's Wharf for a bowl of clam chowder and sourdough bread. Nyum, nyum nyum, nyum!!!!! So tasty. The fantastic gastronomic experience was then topped off by the stench of 500 sea lions lounging at Pier 39. While the smell was like a sharp kick to the groin, we can now check this off of our "What kind of shitty half-baked tourist traps can we fall into" list. Rode the cable car back, which is actually kind of fun to do.

We then took a city bus down to Haight-Ashbury where we are going to get high, love other people, and stick it to the man...right after we look for a Starbuck's. I'm kidding of couse, we don't drink coffee, sillies!

We are at the Magnolia Brewpub right now for lunch...I just asked Chris what he thought about the beers, and in typical fashion he said, "They've got a pretty good selection." So beyond that I don't know what to tell you on the beers. But lunch was awesome, and the kolsch was tay-stee!

We are now going to walk (stumble) down to the historic intersection at Haight & Ashbury. Do you think they have a Target? We need camera batteries. Not only is there not a Target, there isn't any discernable form of cleanliness either. This town is kind of scuzzy. Although I think there is a way to make batteries with poo - has anyone seen Strangers With Candy that can email the directions to me? I'm pretty sure with all of the poo I've seen on the street - dog, pigeon, seagull, and yes, I think human - I can scrape the bottom of my shoes and get enough. GAGGING.

However, we are now at Toronado, each having a beer from Russian River...me, a Pliny the Elder, and Chris, a Blind Pig. For the second time today: Nyum, nyum, nyum, nyum!!!!!

If You're Going to San Francisco, Be Sure to Take Your Prescription Ativan...

OK, T minus 4 hours...leaving tonight for San Francisco. Lots of fun stuff planned, lots of brew pubs, one whole day at wineries, fantastic fun planned with Nancy and Jon. As always, the laundry and dishes are clean and put away, beds are made, recycling has been taken out. Wish us smooth, non-eventful travel!!