Foodies Beware! This trip is the reason I put on 10 pounds but I could really care less. Well I can, but they'll be gone by the New Year. People ask "What is there to do in the Bay Area"? Well plenty, there's art, music (great festivals), museums so on and so forth but who really cares when the food and wine options are so ridiculous! Take a glimpse into one of my best trips with my DC Family + Raini! It will definitely save you time and money on planning. Enjoy!
Below a 10 Day Tour of Pure Culinary Bliss
Courtesy of Harrison Concierge ♥
Day 1: Arrival San Francisco + Welcome Drinks
I recommend staying in the ♥ of the city, Union Square is a perfect choice. There are tons of great neighborhoods, but US is very central...walking distance to everything. Most important train stations!
Day 2: Oakland & The Slanted Door (SF) ~ Fav ♥
This is the day to get the lay of the land, a tour is highly suggested to get the "must sees" off your check list. I personally had some work to do (boooo) so I separated from the group. PS. It was a private tour. ;)
Now to the good stuff... Oakland's street style, swagger and cultural scene led us across the bridge. (it actually took us only 5 minutes by train) We happened to be in town for the Oakland "Art Crawl", where the galleries have open houses and the streets are filled with musicians, vendors and freestylers. Very Buppyish! This memory of The O is a far cry from my last one at the Festival by the Lake. I even met up with my very stylish friend that showed us around. Thanks Charmin! I loved every minute of it!
Back across the bridge to the Embarcadero Center and which houses the Slanted Door. This was one of my favorite meals, which says a lot. I mean this is the type of place where you can select entrees blindfolded and not be disappointed! Everything was Amazing from the cocktails, imperial rolls and spare ribs to the clay pot chicken and that unforgettable ribeye steak.
This was one of my favorite nights of the trip. Two totally different scenes, all was right with the world.
Day 3: Fillmore Jazz Fest + Appetizers Atop a Winding Hill= Easy Breezy ♥
This was one of those chill days where everything seems to fall in place. I woke early trying to get a glimpse of my Uncle in Berkeley, but it didn't hash out. :( So instead, my hubby and I tried to beat the crowd at Dottie's True Blue Cafe. You might have to stand in a long line and step over a couple of people sleeping on the street (yeesh) but that blueberry coffee cake is killer. (only one needed per table, it's huge) If you order a basic breakfast, it's just that basic but their omelettes are money. (Still can't beat the Pantry in LA, or Camellia Grill in the NO two of my fav diners)
So as the group all convened, we decided to head to the Fillmore Jazz Festival where I had another guest appearance by Shiddy! We walked for blocks, it was one of my best days on San Francisco....warm, sunny & clear. A trifecta! It was great catching up with an old friend and perfect people watching and trust there was plenty to see.
The day ended visiting family atop a very windy hill (straight out of the movie House of Sand & Fog). Stunning home and beautiful company. The hostess prepared cheese, grapes, wine and these apricot-brie bite sized pieces of wonderfulness! My day could have ended here but we did venture out to dinner. *The restaurant did not make my Fav list. Not to fear, next day we hit Napa.
Day 4: Auberge du Soleil ~ Fav ♥ & CIA (St. Helena)
Auberge by far the best view in Napa & the best damn duck pizza, with champagne of course! I'm a ways away from staying at this lovely oasis for a week, but I can at least dine. The views from their terrace are absolutely AMAZING! A must see for all. It was a wonderful afternoon and even had a guest appearance by one on my best friends and his lovely wife!
CIA, for all my DC peeps is the Culinary Institute of America. One of the worlds greatest culinary schools and home to the up and coming Top Chefs. The food demo was very educational & tasty, for those of you with a love for cooking.
Dinner at Carpe Diem Wine Bar was a very quaint and tasty. I think this was the 2nd go for some at the bison burger. Delish!
Day 5: Jordan + J Vineyards 
The tasting at Jordan Vineyard & Winery was well thought out and even included some outlawed fois gras, that melted in your mouth. It was a cross varietal tasting (same
wine different years) which is always interesting, with a few additional wines.
J Vineyards a much more laid back tasting room, where you just pull up to the bar. They are known for some of their sparkling wines which are perfect for a special occasion. This place also introduced me to my "grown up"
cucumber soda, which so tasty....and low in calories!
Day 6: Bouchon + Spa Solage= ♥ & the CIA
We started the day by grabbing a bite from Bouchon Bakery. This place is incredible from there various macaroons to the jalapeno & brown sugar glazed scones to the basics....croissants. Now on to the main course.
Spa Solage (Calistoga) ~ Fav ♥
Spa Solage was a treat admist all the culinary delights! The massage, the "mud bath*", the gravity chair and the pool are not to be missed. (Excellent couples specials) Topped off by lunch at the SolBar, which was no joke. This spa dining experience I would guess is ranked like any other restaurant. And I'm not talking tea sandwiches. Handmade everything...bread, drinks (there's a garden at the bar) and the ribs, THE RIBS! I know who eats ribs at the spa, I do. Proudly.
* The mud bath is actually a tin of mud you place on yourself or spouse and shower off. I was actually relieved...there were several conversations prior to the event that left me a little uncomfortable! ;)
Charbay, the only liquor tasting on the schedule was very entertaining. Our Host, was not only very genuine and welcoming but also a little inebriated....just our guess! Nonetheless he mixed up some perfect party cocktails to add to the repertoire.
Dinner, back to CIA to actually taste the grub...no more books! Let me first state that the grounds and the views are beautiful. We ate outside on their patio tastefully decorated by white lights and started the evening with a bottle of wine. Many still full from the Sol Bar we ordered a variety of small bites & charcuterie. I ordered a risotto that was very yummy.
Day 7: Brown ♥ + Cindy's ♥+ Schramsberg♥ + Franks♥ & the Farm= a food & wine high
Brown Estates, my love affair began 2 years in Lake Tahoe at a wine bar. I ordered a flight and one stood out among the rest. Which turned into a full glass that tuned into a bottle accompanying me to my hotel room. My expectations were high and not not disappointed. Gorgeous grounds, beautiful tasting rooms and just a lovely family story. Let me just say it was the one of my best tastings (Joseph Phelps the other) and I walked away a member. **The Mickey & Rosemary Zins...yum, yum, yummy!
Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen was gourmet "adult" comfort food. Good eat + drink, with staples like the Adult Grill Cheese w/ polenta fries (ridiculous!) and they had a special homemade corndog! A definite stop to add to your list.
We toured the caves of Schramsberg and they were amazing! There seemed to be something mystical about the moss, the barrels and the tasting area where we sipped on bubbly. A highly rated tour, must see.
Franks Family Winery, never heard of it and had no expectations. Some of the best pinot noir I have ever had! I am not a huge pinot fan because I like a fuller wine, but the pinot was all grown up and I liked it. Generous tasting, even pulled out estate wines. I would definitely return!
Farm @ Carneros Inn, I hate to say did disappoint. I had high expectations.....and it was such a cute restaurant with outdoor fire pits and garden games. But the food, the food & the drinks were below average. Which was very sad, because there sister restaurant Plump Jacks in Squaw Creek is fabulous. Maybe we caught them on a terribly bad day. Only one good meal from our table was ordered. It must have involved chicken + corn, since the order belonged to our NY friend! :)
A bad end to the perfect day!
Day 8: Far Niente ♥, Redd ♥ + Opus One
The wine at Far Niente was superb. The property itself was overwhelmingly beautiful. I cannot recall the amount, but the number full time landscapers seemed unreal. In addition to the extensively maintained and manicured lawn, they have a lovely surprise for any car enthusiast. The Nickel Family is very kind in sharing the family collection which includes: a '51 Ferrari America roadster, a London taxi, a Porsche speedster and a pair of Bentley Continentals to name a few. A little something for everybody!
 |
Nickel Family Vintage
Car Collection |
Need a perfect lunch and happen to be in Napa, stop by Redd. Everything was absolutely heavenly! From the hamamchi tartare & corn soup to the carmelized scallops and shortrib sandwich. This is definitely a treat and everyone at the table hit a home run!
Opus One is known to be an elite wine and the grounds are perfect, almost sterile. Although highly rated, the tasting was cold which took away from the experience for me. But the wine @ a hefty $35 for a tasting (one glass) WAS tasty!
Day 9: Duckhorn +Oakville Grocery + Joseph Phelps + Colehan + Morimoto = :/ + love love♥♥
Today was a good day! This was a very laid back day that started off shaky and turned out to be the absolute best. The tasting at Duckhorn, I wine that I love ('05 & '06 Cab to be exact) turned out to be less than ideal. They only offered current releases, no estate wines which simply sucked.
At least Oakville never disappoints. This Napa staple is filled with enough pates, cheeses, sandwiches, Bouchon pastries and wine to keep anyone happy. A main "go to" while wine going.
Joseph Phelps all I can say is WOW! This vineyard is unforgettable.The tastings are not done in a basic room (or extravagant for that matter) but on a hillside overlooking what seems to be all of Napa. All of the servers are sommeliers and awesome! The tasting includes 3 - 4 wines and you drink at your own pace while looking at the most gorgeous views. This may be as good as it gets. Did I forget to mention they are scrumptious!
Since I was already tipsy ad it was only early afternoon, why not go shopping??? We stopped by Cole Haan and I picked up this great little yellow tote (well not so little), but just right for me.
To settle down for the day for the piece de resistance we hit the jacuzzi, which was part of the night time activities. All regrouped and we were
ready to roll. Off to Morimoto Napa, where owner Chef Morimoto (star of Iron Chef) blends Japanese & Western ingredients flawlessly. This trendy little hot spot is food and drinks alike will leave you speechless. I ordered the Tempura Calamari Salad (which is big enough to be an entree) and the Braised Black Cod which will have you licking your chop! Even dessert was good, and don't have to have dessert. But the ice cream sandwiches and the doughnuts, oh the donuts.
Hmmmmm..... worth every dollar.
Day 10: Home Sweet Home
One more run to Model Bakery for breakfast before we hit the road to SFO >> DCA.
To sum this trip up, it was culinary ride through scenic hills and valleys, with beautiful people (inside & out) and the best damn wine this country has to offer!
This is the day to get the lay of the land, a tour is highly suggested to get the "must sees" off your check list. I personally had some work to do (boooo) so I separated from the group. PS. It was a private tour. ;)
Now to the good stuff... Oakland's street style, swagger and cultural scene led us across the bridge. (it actually took us only 5 minutes by train) We happened to be in town for the Oakland "Art Crawl", where the galleries have open houses and the streets are filled with musicians, vendors and freestylers. Very Buppyish! This memory of The O is a far cry from my last one at the Festival by the Lake. I even met up with my very stylish friend that showed us around. Thanks Charmin! I loved every minute of it! 
This was one of those chill days where everything seems to fall in place. I woke early trying to get a glimpse of my Uncle in Berkeley, but it didn't hash out. :( So instead, my hubby and I tried to beat the crowd at Dottie's True Blue Cafe. You might have to stand in a long line and step over a couple of people sleeping on the street (yeesh) but that blueberry coffee cake is killer. (only one needed per table, it's huge) If you order a basic breakfast, it's just that basic but their omelettes are money. (Still can't beat the Pantry in LA, or Camellia Grill in the NO two of my fav diners)
So as the group all convened, we decided to head to the Fillmore Jazz Festival where I had another guest appearance by Shiddy! We walked for blocks, it was one of my best days on San Francisco....warm, sunny & clear. A trifecta! It was great catching up with an old friend and perfect people watching and trust there was plenty to see.
Dinner at Carpe Diem Wine Bar was a very quaint and tasty. I think this was the 2nd go for some at the bison burger. Delish!
The tasting at Jordan Vineyard & Winery was well thought out and even included some outlawed fois gras, that melted in your mouth. It was a cross varietal tasting (same 
Spa Solage was a treat admist all the culinary delights! The massage, the "mud bath*", the gravity chair and the pool are not to be missed. (Excellent couples specials) Topped off by lunch at the SolBar, which was no joke. This spa dining experience I would guess is ranked like any other restaurant. And I'm not talking tea sandwiches. Handmade everything...bread, drinks (there's a garden at the bar) and the ribs, THE RIBS! I know who eats ribs at the spa, I do. Proudly. 
Charbay, the only liquor tasting on the schedule was very entertaining. Our Host, was not only very genuine and welcoming but also a little inebriated....just our guess! Nonetheless he mixed up some perfect party cocktails to add to the repertoire.
Dinner, back to CIA to actually taste the grub...no more books! Let me first state that the grounds and the views are beautiful. We ate outside on their patio tastefully decorated by white lights and started the evening with a bottle of wine. Many still full from the Sol Bar we ordered a variety of small bites & charcuterie. I ordered a risotto that was very yummy.
Brown Estates, my love affair began 2 years in Lake Tahoe at a wine bar. I ordered a flight and one stood out among the rest. Which turned into a full glass that tuned into a bottle accompanying me to my hotel room. My expectations were high and not not disappointed. Gorgeous grounds, beautiful tasting rooms and just a lovely family story. Let me just say it was the one of my best tastings (Joseph Phelps the other) and I walked away a member. **The Mickey & Rosemary Zins...yum, yum, yummy!
We toured the caves of Schramsberg and they were amazing! There seemed to be something mystical about the moss, the barrels and the tasting area where we sipped on bubbly. A highly rated tour, must see.
The wine at Far Niente was superb. The property itself was overwhelmingly beautiful. I cannot recall the amount, but the number full time landscapers seemed unreal. In addition to the extensively maintained and manicured lawn, they have a lovely surprise for any car enthusiast. The Nickel Family is very kind in sharing the family collection which includes: a '51 Ferrari America roadster, a London taxi, a Porsche speedster and a pair of Bentley Continentals to name a few. A little something for everybody!
Joseph Phelps all I can say is WOW! This vineyard is unforgettable.The tastings are not done in a basic room (or extravagant for that matter) but on a hillside overlooking what seems to be all of Napa. All of the servers are sommeliers and awesome! The tasting includes 3 - 4 wines and you drink at your own pace while looking at the most gorgeous views. This may be as good as it gets. Did I forget to mention they are scrumptious!
ready to roll. Off to Morimoto Napa, where owner Chef Morimoto (star of Iron Chef) blends Japanese & Western ingredients flawlessly. This trendy little hot spot is food and drinks alike will leave you speechless. I ordered the Tempura Calamari Salad (which is big enough to be an entree) and the Braised Black Cod which will have you licking your chop! Even dessert was good, and don't have to have dessert. But the ice cream sandwiches and the doughnuts, oh the donuts. 
