Whirlwind Weekend

Robert Louis Stevenson lived here in St. Helena for a couple of months after his wedding. He was ill and needed to recover. He stayed here and perhaps that's why they still honor him today.

His wife was divorced - which was a difficult thing to do in those days. She usually said she was widowed to avoid the conflict.

Stevenson was best known for his stories of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Treasure Island--at least in my mind.

So, we stopped to visit his museum and even is tree.

Robert Louis Stevenson Tree

Coming Home

The Santa Rosa Airport is a tribute to Charles Schultz and I couldn't resist getting my picture taken with Charlie and Lucy. I was feeling it was such a great beginning to another Charlie Brown Christmas :)

The Wineries of Calistoga and St. Helena

Sterling Winery was fun because we took a tram up to the top of the mountain and then we went on our tour, which included many little glasses of wine along the way.

Here my husband is waiting for the tram ride to begin
Here's a view from the tram as we begin to move up the mountain
Here's another view from the tram




There are plenty of wineries to visit. But, check with your hotel first. A lot of them give discount tickets or brochures that you can turn in for $5.00 off per ticket. My husband and I turned in one brochure for $10.00 off. That was a good deal.



Here's another beautiful winery we visited. It's called Castello di Amorosa
It looks like an American castle:

Running the Golden Gate Bridge

So most people might not think it's a great highlight of a vacation to run over ten miles. But, I did.

My husband rented a bicycle at Blazing Saddles (he didn't feel like running) he said he'd rather cruise. Then together we took off for the Golden Gate.

We took off and ran and biked a little bit. It wasn't long before we made it to the dock
It was a wonderful run/ride along the water front.

We got closer and it was the prettier the further we ran/rode.

Finally, we made it And, then we made our way (wonderful might not be the word) up to the center of the G.G. Bridge. We stopped to take a few photos. And, then we turned around and went back the way we came.

I would have loved to have run all the way over the bridge into Sausilito but we were running (he-he) out of time. We had to get going. If we had run into Sausilito, we could have caught a ferry back to the Wharf of San Francisco but the ferries only "run" at certain times and it didn't work with our schedule. So, we could only make the run/ride half of the way (or to the center of the bridge). But it was still a beautiful ride/run and a lot of fun.

Lighted Tractor Parade

Calistoga is a tiny town mostly known for its wineries. So you might think the people might be snobby or snotty but that wasn't what we found at all. They were talkative and helpful and we had a funtastic time.

In fact, even though we visited some wineries and tasted some yummy fruity flavors, one of the highlights of our stay in Calistoga was spending an evening watching a lighted Tractor Parade.

The entire town came out to herald in the holidays and here are some photos from the night. They even had the Hot Air Balloon machine there.

Whine Country

I just got back from a beautiful five days in the Napa Valley. Lucky me...well, not completely.

I know, what could I possibly have to whine about...?

It's hard to admit I'm such a weenie but it's true...I'm a horrible traveler. I get sea sick when I travel - even on an air plane. I know, it makes no sense. But, it's true. I even have to take motion sickness pills not to lose my lunch - literally.

So, when we got into Sacramento I was feeling groggy and disoriented. It's because I'm a bit of a purist. I don't (even though we were going to the Napa Valley) drink alcohol very often. I don't even take Ibuprofen. So, drugs - even over the counter drugs - hit me hard.

Anyway, my hubby had a meeting. So, he dropped me off at the local Barnes and Nobel. Unfortunately for me, I had trouble staying awake. I was nodding in the little nook where I was sitting. I tried to read - which I love - but my head was bobbing and weaving like a prize fighter. The clerks must have thought I was a homeless person who came in off the street to get warm or take a nap. I know that's the way it looked. But I couldn't help it. And I barely remember anything about that day or night. The next day we moved into San Francisco.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from my first few days.

I hope you like the journey.

Here we are coming over the Bay Bridge into San Francisco

Here's the view from the bridge of the city


Here are the streets of San Francisco


We had to go eat at Fisherman's Wharf and it was wonderful.



Then we moved on to Calistoga. I'll have more tales of the trip tomorrow. I hope you'll join me on my journey.

Thursday Turkey Tip

I fixed a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, like most Americans. And, we'll probably have another turkey for Christmas dinner. So, I was thinking you might be fixing another turkey soon too. And, I have a trick I use to make an amazing glaze and it's super simple so I thought I'd share it with you.

I pour about a cup of Dr. Pepper over the bird when it's getting close to being done. The sugar crisps right up on the top of the bird and it adds a tender tastiness to the meal and even the gravy.

I forgot to take a picture of the dinner - I was too busy seeing that the family got fed to think about photo opportunities this time. But the bird was a beauty. You'll just have to believe me.

If you try this tip, let me know. I'd love to hear what you think.