WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES!
It is hard to believe that yesterday we were sitting on the porch at Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves in Sonoma, California enjoying sparking wines, seasoned almonds and the 70+ degrees of fabulous sunshine and today here in Rochester, NY the snow is swirling and the day is dreary and typically ROCHESTER! When we landed here (after 5 hrs. in SFO and 5 hrs. in DTW it was just beginning to rain and it was about 39 degrees. The temps must have fallen...the wind was sure blowing and cold...for this much snow to have accumulated so quickly! Boy, do I love SUNSHINE and warmth! From the champagne caves yesterday, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and headed for the Beach Chalet, on the edge of Golden Gate Park and right on the shore of San Francisco Bay, to have a bite to eat and a microbrew. My wheat beer was as good as I remembered it from 2 years ago when we visited for our 30th anniversary. The difference was that two years ago when we were there for dinner, the fog had rolled in so thickly (in August) that we didn't even notice the HUGE windmill right next to the chalet restaurant/brewpub. This time we at least got a photo of it. Got lots of nice pictures on this trip. Al's new tiny Kodak digital camera is neat. I have even picked up how to use it...it is THAT easy!

Our trip to northern California was unbelievable! The two places that we stayed (MacArthur Place in Sonoma and Yountville Inn in Yountville) were both really neat. Would definitely stay at either one again...especially at off season winter prices! We were offered the chance to take a bump on the second leg of our return yesterday/today (from DTW to ROC) but after 10 hours already in airports the $300 each/or free ticket for a flight in the continental USA just didn't hold the glitter that it might have when we were younger! Of course, SOMEONE (who shall remain nameless) obsessed over NOT going for it even though it was he who held me back from jumping to the podium...actually, I could have walked up slowly, because there wasn't much of a rush! Then one guy went up to take it and backed out and they actually had to announce the offer again! Everyone was just beat after red-eye flights and just wanted to get home, I guess.

The trip highlights had to include my blue tree, the fabulous weather that got warmer with each day, the trip up the coast of northern California coast from Petaluma to Fort Bragg along Rte. 1 (and stopping for abalone and drift wood at the beach in Van Damme State Park), the tour of the Jelly Belly factory (with the jelly bean shaped hambergers and pizza in their cafe after the tour), all of the Sonoma wineries, the olives, cheeses (dry jack from Vella & banaged cheddar) with preserved caperberries at the girl and the fig, the steak dinner at Saddles, the drive over Trinity Road over to Napa Valley and the dinner experience at THE FRENCH LAUNDRY, Merryvale Winery and dinner @ Redd our last night in Yountville. The Olive Press in Glen Ellen, the wine merchants in Sonoma and St. Helena (across from V. Sattui) and the sparkling wineries at Domaine Carneros, Mumm Napa Valley and Gloria Ferrer were all terrific experiences, too. The wild mustard in the vineyards was so pretty...the contrast of the yellow flowers among the dark twisted grape vines had to be seen to appreciate their beauty. We couldn't have had better weather for the trip and I can't wait to plan a trip back there on a future winter break. All the trees and flowers were in spring mode...daffodils every where you looked and calla lilies growing like wild flowers all along the trip up the coast to Ft. Bragg. Boy, am I psched for spring to arrive here in Western NY, now. Guess that's one of the reasons getting away for vacations from dreary Rochester can be so uplifting! Next break, it will officially be SPRING!