bdklein

Here's a trip report (ignore the spelling mistakes) for wife and I celebrating our 10 year anniversary (and kids with grandparents-yeah!) with a trip to SF and the Napa Valley. It was awesome!! And we had no smoke from the fires and no heat wave.

Day 1-June 27th. Arrive at SF Airport from NY and pick up Audi convertible for the week. Got a good deal from Hertz via American Airlines Advantage membership. It came with a GPS and satellite radio. Then head towards downtown. Go drive down Lombard street and around the city. We then went to Fisherman's Wharf. In NY I wouldn't go to Times Square, but when visitors come in they always want to go there. Same is true for tourists to SF. Sorry Stu Dudley that you find this so reprehensible. Nothing wrong with a walk by the water. We went to Alioto's for a late lunch. Pretty good food (sicilian calamari and cold seafood salad with beans were pretty good), plus they validate the parking at the lot nearby. Then bought the necessary cheesy gifts for the family back home.

Then off to our hotel, the Omni on the border of the Financial area and Chinatown. Great location and great service. I had already booked the hotel directly, but was able to save $250 for the 3 nights by booking via Expedia. As a slect guest we got some great perks, plus some nice gifts for our anniversary (I love free stuff). Then walked to Ferry Building to check out the shops, and onto Slanted Door for a great dinner. Plus a free dessert for our anniversary (I love free stuff).

Day 2. Saturday. Thanks for the advice Stu Dudley; walked to the Farmer's Market at the Ferry building and got great smoked fish sandwiches from a stall all the way in back of the market. Sat on a bench in front of the Bay bridge and munched away. Then walked to the booths and munched some more.

Then we got the car back at the hotel and drove around the City, stopping and visiting many sights. Went to Haight-Ashbury, Twin Peaks, Lombard street again by both car and foot, walked around Golden Gate Park-Japanese Tea Garden, plus tracked down houses and areas that were used for various movies and TV shows. Then onto the Cliff House for snacks and a drink. Cool view-food just ok.
Then went to Gary Danko's for dinner. What a great dining experience. Great service but not stuffy-plus a freebie dessert for anniversary (I love free stuff).

Day 3. Sunday. No car today. Walked to Union Square area on our way to the gay pride parade-gotta love those dykes on bikes and gay naked men riding bicycles. Glad we did not stay in that area-not for us-too NY because of the stores. Grabbed a quick breakfast-love that sourdough bread.

Then took the cable car (bought the one day pass-good value for us) to FW area again. Walked around, and had a good lunch at Scoma's. Sorry Stu, once again. Love eating by the water. Then took a boat cruise around the GG bridge and Alcatraz. Then took the cable car back and switched to the California line, and rode that cable car line up and down-lots of fun as well. Then rested at the hotel before walking over to Chinatown for dinner. Sorry Stu, but love those tacky shops on Grant street (great cheesy gifts for my kids). Stores on Stockton were closed by that time anyway. Then had dinner at Great Eastern on Jackson-yummy. Then walked to City Lights bookstore, and then back to hotel.

Day 4. Monday. Time to say goodbye to SF. Hit the rode and drove through fancy houses in Pacfic Heights, then over the GG bridge. Grabbed a quick bite in Sausilito. Then drove up Route 1 to Bodega Bay area. Chilly and foggy, but had to drive with the top down. Thanks to the person who created heated seats.
What a fun ride, but mentally tiring. Cruised into Sebastopol to pick up a lunch for a picnic. We stopped at Rochioli for a tasting and picnic, and then on to Dry Creek for a free tasting. (I love free things-I found a bunch of coupons for tastings online for Sonoma and Napa-don't recall the website. Then onto the casino up in Geyersville (wife and I like blackjack)-I hope the tribe appreciates our donation. Continue our ride on 128, when all of a sudden we see our first real intersection (Calistoga). Just a few more miles to the Wine Country Inn, our home in St. Helena for the next 3 nights. What a great place to stay. Friendly staff, great views, pool, breakfast (great selection-plus make your own waffles), and love that wine and appetizers in the late afternnon. We had dinner reservations at Go Fish, but my wife did not want to go out so after a swim we opted for a pizza from Pizzeria Tra Vigne and ate on our balcony overlooking a vineyard (Duckhorn, I believe).

Day 5. Tuesday. Still having sleep issues (not sure why-used to NY time?), so I decide to go for a drive at 5:30 AM into the hills in the fog with the top down. Love those heated seats. Then we visit Cakebread (wife wanted to go there). Kind of disappointing-too commercial and wines are overpriced-in our opinion. Then over to Constentino. Wines were ok-but whole strip there seemed kind of commercialized to us. My wife wanted to have lunch/drink at Aubrege de Soleil (spelling?), so the voice inside my head starts screaming Silverado Trail!! Plus I had a coupon for a free reserve tasting at Conn Creek-go that off of their website. (I love free things). But first stop was Robert Sinskey-cool place, plus got a food/wine education (wish we did more-but didn't want to have to prebook and think too much on this vaaction). Then Soleil for lunch and drink-great view-food was just ok and overpriced. Then Conn Creek. Then back to hotel for some R&R and pool and more food and wine.
For dinner we had reservations for the CIA-Greystone, but wasn't in the cards for as at that moment. Instead we went to Go Fish. Had some great sushi rolls and other appetizers in the courtyard. But my wife was eyeing the Ken's Roll-wish she had ordered that. Then had ice cream from some shop in St. Helena.

Day 6. Wednesday. Starting to panic. No, not because of messages on Blackberrys', but because our vacation is coming to a close. Plus we haven't had enough down time. Once again I take a morning drive, this time up Diamond Head Road. When I get back, we start to discuss that end of trip itineray-ugh. We check out Round Pond for olive oil (unannounced-a big no-no there-but we work through it once we start to buy stuff-my how they change-gifts for people back home), and the Napa Valley Soap Company (more gifts for people back home). We then check out Elizabeth Spencer wines, which my wife and I really liked. We even joined the wine club (That means free reserve tastings for the next day, plus no fee for the tastings we just did. I love free things). Then off to Schramsberg (great tour). We then go to Calistoga for lunch (Wappo-outside of course), then off to our couples mud bath at Golden Haven. It was pretty cool, but being naked that mud gets everywhere. Then back to hotel for pool, afternoon food and wine, and R&R. We have reservation for Terra, but again we are feeling a different vibe. We go to Tra Vigne for dinner, but we first make that stop at Go Fish for the Ken's Roll. While waiting for the Ken's Roll, guess who we start to converse with-Ken himself-the Sushi chef at Go Fish. What a nice man, and very candid regarding the restaurant business in the area. Then off to Tra Vigne-outside table of course. Nice pour of wine, but service and food not up to what we have experienced over the vacation. Plus no free dessert!

Day 7. Thursday. Oh no, last day. But a great night sleep-no early car ride. But we are starting to miss the kids-that's the only salvation. We need that downtime, so we pack up, check out, load up the car, but chill out by the pool until mid-afternoon. Then off to Elizabeth Spencer for our tasting. Then my wife gets an email from her boss-who is beginning his big family gathering in Napa as well. So we meet them for a drink at Tra Vigne-like that big pour. Plus he paid (Did I tell you I love free things?) Then it comes-our final meal in the Napa Valley-Taylor's Refresher in St. Helena. It was really good-loved that shake and the sweet potato fries and the garlic/parsley fries. Plus the funky bacon, blue cheese, onion ring burger was darn tasty. (But it caused me some turbulence on the redeye flight home late that night.) We left St. Helena around 5 PM, via the Oakville Grade-a great road to close out the trip. We then meander our way to the GG bridge-just past Sausilito, and the fog rolls in and the temperature drops 20 degrees. One last stop at FW for one more gift. Then to the airport for our redeye flight on Virgin America (like the inflight entertainment system) that leaves SF at 11 PM and gets in to NY around 7:30 AM. Once we get home, the kids (girls 8 and 5) come home from grandparents and great us with tears of joy to see us. But 5 minutes later they start to fight and bicker and bam-vacation is over! Reality check. And I sleep the day and night away, and was still groggy on Saturday when I nap some more.

Whew! Trip report is done. Would we have done anything differently? Nah. Put when we go back (yes I said when, not if), in Napa I would do more research on the wineries and set up more food/wine pairing type of tastings/meals-and probably do some at Copia. But glad we did not overplan our first trip. We also never made it to the town of Napa-not sure if we missed anything. And contrary to public opinion, we did not find the Napa Valley area to be snooty at all.
And yes Stu Dudley, we will go back to Fisherman's Wharf. Just kidding, Stu your big post offered great insight and it was a big help.
Now, off to bed.

Kal

=D>

Bravo.
Exnay on the Eliz Spencerscray.
Hard to find anymore!

Quit apologizing for FishWharf.
Like you said, SF's = to Time's Square but you have to go there!

Great Bay views from FW too.
We stayed at The Omni last year for V'tines Day. Nice place/Good location.

No ice cream sandwich dessert from Go Fish???? Now you're talking crazy!

Sweet potato friessssss....


Great TR.

bdklein

Kal,

Now you tell me about the dessert at Go Fish?? Actually, we looked at the dessert menu but just didn't want anything at that time. We walked around the main area of St. Helena, and then we were ready for some ice cream.

Kal

bd,
I'm not a big dessert fan but it was so good I'd drive there just for it again!

It does sound like you had a great time tho!

We went to St Helena a few weeks ago but Taylors was PACKED...again...I was dying for the sweet tater fries and ahi burger.

One of these days all of you darn tourists won't be there.

dcd

Great report!! We too like free stuff, esp wine tastings!! Thanks for sharing.