Browse Category: outings

Barrels and FARM

On Saturday, we drove up to Napa for Nickel & Nickel’s Barrel Tasting Event.  It was basically a preview of all the reds that they will be bottling next March and we got to taste quite a few.  They also had cheese and meats out for us to taste as well.  We found a really cool cheese that basically tasted like a Philly Cheesesteak.  Who knew that you could somehow get the taste of meat in a cheese?!

The four of us had a pretty good time sippy and snacking until our lips and teeth turned purple.  I’d have to say that out of all the ones we tasted (about 10 different wines), I liked Dragonfly, C.C. Ranch, and Sullenger the best.  I’ll just have to wait until next year to taste the real deal to see if they’re still my favorites.

On our way down the road, we stopped at Opus One for a $30 glass of wine that was just as mediocre as I had remembered about 10 years ago.  I thought I’d have a greater appreciation for it now but I don’t think we’ll be returning there.

Afterward, we did a little outlet shopping and then headed over to FARM at the Carneros Inn.  We were a bit early so we lounged in their outdoor patio area, which was a really nice relaxing place to rest up before dinner.

For dinner, we were seated outdoors and the weather was perfect.  We all shared a bunch of dishes including the scallops (above), hamachi crudo, lamb, lobster, and beef.  We stuffed ourselves silly, finished off two bottles of wine, and even ordered two desserts at the end of the meal.  We pretty much had to roll ourselves back to the car.

Here are photos from our afternoon in wine country.

Yum Yum

On Thursday, we had Happy Hour with some of Jes’ co-workers.  It was at Anchor and Hope, which is restaurant that I’ve been wanting to try for quite some time.  They have a warm uni and crab appetizer that I had heard about and was also featured on a Food Network show.

So, it was ordered and did not disappoint.  It’s a creamy concoction of crab, uni, potato puree, lemon beurre blanc, and little bits of onion and tomato served in a hollowed-out sea urchin shell.  Mmmm…it was really good.  We stayed only for their HH specials but it was good enough.  Their parmesan fries were really yummy and they had a really interesting beer from Firestone Walker Brewing Co on tap.  Good eats…

Lobsta Time!

Oh man…I’m so behind on posts.  I was cleaning out my laptop to make more room and I got side tracked.  But I’m back.

Anyway, Jes got back from NYC last Friday (5/7) and on Saturday his pal James called us up for lunch at Old Port Lobster Shack in Redwood City.  It was at least a 25-min drive but it was all worth it.

I had my very first lobster roll and it was tasty.  It’s lobster goodness stuffed inside a thick slice of bread that has been grilled with butter and split down the middle for a bun. Nice.

We also had the fried shrimp and fish&chips.  They were just as tasty.

I also got to meet little Ariel who was born just a couple months ago.  She was such a cutie and pretty much slept though lunch.  Good baby…

Here are photos from the afternoon.

36 hours with Mommy and Daddy

Last week JetBlue was having a sale.  On Tuesday or Wednesday you could get $9 one-way tickets between LA and SF.  So, Brother booked two roundtrip tickets for the parents!  It was perfect since I had the day off to off-set my weekend class and it was so much fun having them around.  So, on Tuesday, I picked up the parents from SFO in the morning, dropped off their stuff at home, and then we went out for a day of exploring and sightseeing.

First stop was the Conservatory of Flowers.  Admission is free on the first Tuesday of every month so it was FREE!!!

We had a great time exploring the different rooms and I got to see lots of really pretty and exotic plants and flowers.  It was a gorgeous day, which made hanging out in Golden Gate Park even better.

Daddy was watching a show on hamburgers on the flight up to SF so he was craving a tasty burger.  So, he got one at Burgermeister along with a few stains on his shirt (of course).

Next we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and stopped for a few photos.  Then it was one more exit down for a little stroll in Sausalito.  Last time Mommy was here watching Koa, she took the ferry to Sausalito and found this really cute shop that features little toys and knick-knacks.

We found it again and I was giddy with excitement over all the cute stuff inside.

We did a little more browsing and shopping and then headed back to the condo where Koa was stinking more than usual.  So, we walked him down to the bathhouse and Daddy helped me wash the dog with full-length aprons and all.  Dog hated it, as usual, but scored a treat for the walk home.

For dinner, we went to Hard Knox Cafe for some really good fried chicken.  Daddy loves his fried chicken and this did not disappoint!

Here are photos from the rest of the day.  It includes photos that Daddy took too.  Enjoy!

Take me to the ZoOoOoO!!

I’ve been on the Pediatric Rehab service for over a year now and we finally had the perfect group of kids for a trip to the Oakland Zoo.  In fact, the last time any group that had gone to the zoo was over 3 years ago so this was indeed the “Perfect Storm” of kids, staff, and weather.  The group photo above is really cute in real life but I’m not allowed to post recognizable photos of the kiddies.

Last Friday, we packed up our outing bags, slathered sunscreen on all their faces, and piled 4 kids all in wheelchairs and 5 adults in the Adventure Van.  Just the week before, we had a big car wash with the same four kids so the van was squeaky clean and ready for the outing.

The weather was perfect and all the kids (and grown-ups) were giddy with excitement.  Lots of the kids propelled their own wheelchairs but there were a few steep hills that really got our hearts pumping.  We headed over to the African savanna area and saw elephants and giraffes right away.  One of my kids is hard of hearing and has been learning all the different signs for the animals.  He brought pictures of the animals and each time he spotted one, he would point to the corresponding picture and we’d all make the sign for that animal.  It was like animal sign language bingo all day long.

The Oakland Zoo is such a great place to visit and I would have loved to stay longer to see everything.  We had to cut out some of the park so that we could take the long-awaited train ride around the secret exhibit filled with emus and wallabies.  By 2:30, we had to get everyone back in the van and head back to the hospital.   Our cheeks were all pink from the sun and we were exhausted but it was such a worthwhile trip when you have the right group of kids.

Tuesday Dinner at the Ballpark

On a whim, we decided to go to a Giants game for our usual Tuesday dinner and invited the girls from work since they were playing the Pirates. Steph and her husband are from Pittsburgh and jumped at the chance of watching their home team with garlic fries. I drove the girls to my house, stopped at Safeway for snacks and beers, and we had a mini happy hour at home before the 7:15 game.

Patty showed us how to properly prepare Coronitas complete with fresh lime juice, salt, and a few drops of Tapatio and we shared a couple bags of potato chips. When the boys arrived, we walked across the street to the game and settled into our $12 bleacher seats.  Jes also managed to sneak in 2 ice cold cans of Coors light in his pants.

It was a breezy but really pretty night at the ballpark.  The Giants fans were crazy as usual and the Pirates won.  We also had a fun time cheering for players we didn’t know and singing along to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at the 7th inning stretch.  My dinner consisted of a Giants dog, nachos with lots of jalapenos, and a Coors Light.  Mmmmm.  It turned out to be one of the cheapest Tuesday dinners we’ve had in a while and we all had a fun time.