San Fran, Sonoma and Napa - the Jackie and Michelle Way!
Michelle is being a dear and helping me compose this entry. We are laying in a relaxed well fed state on a comfy bed in our cottage. Now if we were both into girls this would be fabulous but as we are both straight well it is merely interesting.
So I arrived a few hours after she did in the Oakland airport without of course doing something as silly as looking up WHERE the hotel was. I got a bit spoiled on the Europe trip where there was a car that always knew where to take me. Michelle was a dear and left instructions on my phone that should have gotten the normally -- not directionally challenged to the hotel. I on the other hand ended up being escorted by a local who then asked for a tip. Yes it was worth the $2 to get there.
Friday night we decided on tickets to the Big City Improv. The show was in a cute little theatre and after a slight nudge from Michelle I ended up on stage for a skit in the show in a fill in the blank capacity. I thought I was funny as I was laughing so hard at one point I was crying and even circumcision can be funny, which is good because I meant it to be. The other fill in the blank person from the audience wasn't nearly as cool or good as me :). Michelle says so, it must be true.
Saturday - We had a wonderful breakfast of tiny pancakes and then headed off to the Japanese Tea garden. We took in the De Young museum which was right in the same area and then met up with a friend in San Fran for a tasty Italian meal after strolling through Chinatown and Little Italy.
Sunday- This was the day of the big Castro Street Fair. Michelle was kind enough to keep a lady from hassling me, but this isn't a story I'll publish. See me in person, ask and I'll tell. We had some great food for dinner with a fantastic view of the water and headed up to Ghiradelli for sundaes! There is something more than a little scary about Alcatraz even now and probably more so at night as we did the night tour. Very clear weather and just a powerful night.
Monday - Voyage back to the airport and get a rental car. Take off for wine country and Redwoods. Success on both accounts. I felt sooooooooo tiny next to the trees. This was the night of the posh local restaurant with a great wine list. I added a new place to my list of MUST visit wineries.....this will come back again.
Tuesday - Much wine, much food, much fun. Michelle got insulted by one of the workers at a wine tasting. The lady just kept digging the hole deeper and deeper and deeper. It started with her carding me, and ended......I'll just say badly. We bought no wine from there. Michelle and I both needed to buy extra containers for the wine we had purchased. She wasn't buying ANY and I was only buying what I could pack in my suitcase. This plan failed. It was doomed.
Wednesday- We found the must visit place. I was a little concerned when I noticed no hours posted. I little more concerned when I didn't see a tasting room, and then very concerned when we ended up in a room that said 'Office'. The man that greeted us was very nice despite how VERY obvious there was going to be no tasting of the wine. But he told us all about why winemakers do dessert and sweet wine and that you never make any money off of it. He then toddled off to a backroom telling us to stay put. He came back with a bottle that he gifted us with. He said because he'll never make a penny on it. It was his private label. I will tell you that I am now a huge fan of KENT RASMUSSEN which is also in Denver as Ramsey ( I think). We chatted for quite a bit before Michelle figured out that he was the 'man'. We also found a port of many pleasures. I am now in a wine club again. They had the most amazing white port I have ever tasted. It had a finish that left your mouth full of hazelnut. Then that late afternoon we were in the mud....literally. A spa is a wonderful thing. Now we are relaxed and too jello'y' to want to move....but Miss Michelle has just suggested a dip in the pool.....I can move for that...yes I can!
So I arrived a few hours after she did in the Oakland airport without of course doing something as silly as looking up WHERE the hotel was. I got a bit spoiled on the Europe trip where there was a car that always knew where to take me. Michelle was a dear and left instructions on my phone that should have gotten the normally -- not directionally challenged to the hotel. I on the other hand ended up being escorted by a local who then asked for a tip. Yes it was worth the $2 to get there.
Friday night we decided on tickets to the Big City Improv. The show was in a cute little theatre and after a slight nudge from Michelle I ended up on stage for a skit in the show in a fill in the blank capacity. I thought I was funny as I was laughing so hard at one point I was crying and even circumcision can be funny, which is good because I meant it to be. The other fill in the blank person from the audience wasn't nearly as cool or good as me :). Michelle says so, it must be true.
Saturday - We had a wonderful breakfast of tiny pancakes and then headed off to the Japanese Tea garden. We took in the De Young museum which was right in the same area and then met up with a friend in San Fran for a tasty Italian meal after strolling through Chinatown and Little Italy.
Sunday- This was the day of the big Castro Street Fair. Michelle was kind enough to keep a lady from hassling me, but this isn't a story I'll publish. See me in person, ask and I'll tell. We had some great food for dinner with a fantastic view of the water and headed up to Ghiradelli for sundaes! There is something more than a little scary about Alcatraz even now and probably more so at night as we did the night tour. Very clear weather and just a powerful night.
Monday - Voyage back to the airport and get a rental car. Take off for wine country and Redwoods. Success on both accounts. I felt sooooooooo tiny next to the trees. This was the night of the posh local restaurant with a great wine list. I added a new place to my list of MUST visit wineries.....this will come back again.
Tuesday - Much wine, much food, much fun. Michelle got insulted by one of the workers at a wine tasting. The lady just kept digging the hole deeper and deeper and deeper. It started with her carding me, and ended......I'll just say badly. We bought no wine from there. Michelle and I both needed to buy extra containers for the wine we had purchased. She wasn't buying ANY and I was only buying what I could pack in my suitcase. This plan failed. It was doomed.
Wednesday- We found the must visit place. I was a little concerned when I noticed no hours posted. I little more concerned when I didn't see a tasting room, and then very concerned when we ended up in a room that said 'Office'. The man that greeted us was very nice despite how VERY obvious there was going to be no tasting of the wine. But he told us all about why winemakers do dessert and sweet wine and that you never make any money off of it. He then toddled off to a backroom telling us to stay put. He came back with a bottle that he gifted us with. He said because he'll never make a penny on it. It was his private label. I will tell you that I am now a huge fan of KENT RASMUSSEN which is also in Denver as Ramsey ( I think). We chatted for quite a bit before Michelle figured out that he was the 'man'. We also found a port of many pleasures. I am now in a wine club again. They had the most amazing white port I have ever tasted. It had a finish that left your mouth full of hazelnut. Then that late afternoon we were in the mud....literally. A spa is a wonderful thing. Now we are relaxed and too jello'y' to want to move....but Miss Michelle has just suggested a dip in the pool.....I can move for that...yes I can!
posted by Jackie at 9:43 PM
1 Comments:
Huzzah for the fun!
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