I've just returned from a 10 day vacation in California; 8 days of which were spent in sunny San Francisco, and 2 days in San Jose for a Search Conference. I arrived early to spend some time in San Francisco with friends. The first weekend had to have been the most touristy time that I have ever spent in the city by the bay. We walked to Lombard St, Fisherman's Wharf, the Ferry Building, rode a Cable Car, and I even had my first In-N-Out burger! One of the highlights of my first weekend in San Fran was the time spent wine tasting thru Napa/St. Helena. We couldn't have asked for better weather, and the wineries that we went to all had something different to offer:
- Domain Chandon
- Robert Mondavi
- Louis M. Martini
- Frog's Leap
- Mumm
By far, my favorite winery was Frog's Leap. It's a completely organic vineyard, and non-commercialized to date. In fact, the house was fabulous, with the living room doors opening up to the outdoor dining room with views of the vineyard.
I'll skip over my work-related business and time in San Jose, and jump back to my other weekend in San Fran. I stayed with my friend Robyn (who has a fantastic apartment!!) in the Pacific Heights district of the city. I had a very nice leisurely day on Friday and poked around Union Street, did a little shopping (and working, of course) and had a very nice lunch at the Union Cafe. Friday night we headed down to Chestnut street, grabbed some Mexican food for dinner at Mamacita, and watched "The Nanny Diaries." (Which I wouldn't recommend to anyone).
On Saturday, we drove down to Capitola and Santa Cruz. Capitola was a cute little beach town that had many quaint shops and restaurants. Naturally, we ended up at a wine tasting at White Crane Winery, which incidentally private labels a white and a red to Barry Manilow. I had to laugh because for $5, we tasted about 12 different wines, and it was just a little past noon! Needless to say we were slightly tipsy, but we walked it off. Robyn found a bathing suit and I bought Winnie a terry cloth bathrobe. Can't wait for her to wear it! :-)
After we had our fill of Capitola, we jumped back in the car and drove to Santa Cruz. I'm not sure exactly what I had in mind for this town, but let me tell you, think Atlantic City, but a little cheezier! It was straight from the 70's - totally untouched by time with the amusement park on the Boardwalk, and the restaurants on the Wharf that literally hadn't been touched since they opened. It was all very cute and quaint; but a little on the trashier side. I did enjoy visiting, and out time there was redeemed by a visit to Steamer Lane to see the surfers with fantastic views of the shoreline.
- Domain Chandon
- Robert Mondavi
- Louis M. Martini
- Frog's Leap
- Mumm
By far, my favorite winery was Frog's Leap. It's a completely organic vineyard, and non-commercialized to date. In fact, the house was fabulous, with the living room doors opening up to the outdoor dining room with views of the vineyard.
I'll skip over my work-related business and time in San Jose, and jump back to my other weekend in San Fran. I stayed with my friend Robyn (who has a fantastic apartment!!) in the Pacific Heights district of the city. I had a very nice leisurely day on Friday and poked around Union Street, did a little shopping (and working, of course) and had a very nice lunch at the Union Cafe. Friday night we headed down to Chestnut street, grabbed some Mexican food for dinner at Mamacita, and watched "The Nanny Diaries." (Which I wouldn't recommend to anyone).
On Saturday, we drove down to Capitola and Santa Cruz. Capitola was a cute little beach town that had many quaint shops and restaurants. Naturally, we ended up at a wine tasting at White Crane Winery, which incidentally private labels a white and a red to Barry Manilow. I had to laugh because for $5, we tasted about 12 different wines, and it was just a little past noon! Needless to say we were slightly tipsy, but we walked it off. Robyn found a bathing suit and I bought Winnie a terry cloth bathrobe. Can't wait for her to wear it! :-)After we had our fill of Capitola, we jumped back in the car and drove to Santa Cruz. I'm not sure exactly what I had in mind for this town, but let me tell you, think Atlantic City, but a little cheezier! It was straight from the 70's - totally untouched by time with the amusement park on the Boardwalk, and the restaurants on the Wharf that literally hadn't been touched since they opened. It was all very cute and quaint; but a little on the trashier side. I did enjoy visiting, and out time there was redeemed by a visit to Steamer Lane to see the surfers with fantastic views of the shoreline.
After our drive back from Santa Cruz, we swung by Alamo Park to see the "Painted Ladies," the old Victorian houses that have the city as a beautiful backdrop. It's also the houses that you see in the open credits to the sitcom "Full House." hehe! Gorgeous home, but I do feel bad for the owners...you must know what you're getting into if you buy one of those homes! The weather couldn't have agreed any more with my travel plans - hovering around the 70-75 degree range with blue, cloud-less skies. I discovered a different San Francisco this time around, one filled with breathtaking views, amazing sights, and unlimited opportunities to get outside and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. I definitely have a different view of the city, and looking forward to going back!
Check out all of my San Fran and Santa Cruz pics on Flickr!
