So we’re back from our trip, a few pounds heavier, a lot poorer (time to go get some consulting work!!), and very pleased with the world around us.
We rode motorcycles up to Paso Robles, CA, which has become a center for food and wine since I last looked; we stayed in a superb, romantic B & B with three guest rooms, and while we were there had a rather shocking experience….at breakfast in the B & B yesterday, one of the other two couples staying there was chatting w/us; they are from Sunnyvale; we told them we got married Sat, bla, bla bla, at [secret location redacted], bla bla bla…the woman looks sharply at TG and asks “Were you wearing a gray-blue dress?” TG goes “Um, yes, why?”
She & I are both thinking the woman wondered if TG had chosen it to match the hall. Woman goes on. “And it was all beaded, right?” At this point, I’m looking back and forth between TG and the woman wondering if there is some joke being played that I don’t get yet. “Yes,” TG replies, and I realize she’s as puzzled as I am.
“We saw you right after you got married!! You were standing around with a bunch of people!!” The woman exclaims. Her son was taking her touring in LA, so they wandered up into the garden where we had just been married… So where do you buy LOTTO tickets, again??
Here are some good things that we found while we were there:
Wines
Pinot Noir – that’s all they make…We had the 2001, which is just incredible. We joined their wine club, and are looking forward to getting their stuff over the year.
Vente Anni blend…a BIG wine.
Barbara 2001. Just good red wine.
Fellow Slug Randall Grahm works had to be irreverent and amusing, and also works hard to make interesting wine. Hie ‘Big House Red’ is one of our major dinner wines at our house.
We stopped by their Paso Robles tasting room (a 2.6 mile walk from our B & B – we don’t drink and ride, and we like to walk), and had some cool stuff. The California Viognier, the Cigare A – all good stuff. But the dessert infusions are just amazing. Vanilla ice cream, some chocolate, this stuff, and life is just plain good.
We ate well, too.
Dinner at McPhee’s Grill, Buono Tavola, and Kelly’s …
OK, back to it…
The Raspberry Infusion and Dreyer’s Vanilla Bean ice cream is fantastic — Ann and I had it a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t tried it with a chocolate souffle cake yet. I think that combination would be tasty. Wouldn’t you?
Welcome back, compadres!
I was afraid we were going to have to send in the paramilitary unit to pry you away from your keyboard and send you off with Tenacious G, but then you went radio silent and we called the operation off. Glad you enjoyed the trip – and the motorbike ride, of course.
Give G my best…
Bonny Doon, eh? We’ve got both Framboise and L’Etoile stashed down in the cellar. If you and TG make it up here we’ll haul some out as a belated celebration.
Last weekend I stopped in again at the Bonny Doon winery above slugville. Always a fun stop. There are quite a few very good wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but it takes a while to get between them. Congrats, best wishes, and continue to have fun!
Welcome home, Newlyweds!