Picked up mom from the Mineta San José International Airport
The Cats Restaurant & Tavern, 17533 Santa Cruz Highway, Los Gatos
- 6 oz. honey-glazed salmon salad: Grilled salmon, house-made honey glaze, mixed greens, pear slices, candied pecans, lime citrus vinaigrette
- BBQ sampler platter: St. Louis style, dry rub, hickory slow pit smoked BBQ: 1/4 chicken, 4 pork ribs, 4 oz. of pulled pork, with sides of coleslaw and burnt-end baked beans (smoked for 6 hours, burnt end beef brisket chunks)
- Corn bread side
SATURDAY
Breakfast: oatmeal with brown sugar and banana (home)
Domestic day--laundry, trash, dishes, grocery shopping
Coffee at Companion Bakeshop, 2341 Mission Street, Santa Cruz
Dinner: Las Palmas Taco Bar, 55 Front St, Santa Cruz
- Super Veggie Burrito: large flour tortilla, chile rellano, rice, beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa verde
- 3 Amigos Plate: Any three soft or crispy tacos, with rice, beans, and cheese (we chose shredded chicken)
Discussed family history
Mom suggested Swedish translation of "Thank you very much" as, phonetically, "Tawk Skid-aha"...unconfirmed
Mom suggested Swedish translation of "Thank you very much" as, phonetically, "Tawk Skid-aha"...unconfirmed
Light rain in the morning, clearing up in the afternoon
She.is.beautiful The Pinkest 5k and 10k (5th annual) - we rerouted around closed roads and exiting participants and spectators
Breakfast at Hoffman's Bistro and Patisserie, 1102 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz (appointment via OpenTable saved us an hour wait, due to after-race celebratory crowds):
- Green Giant omelette: artichoke hearts, asparagus, spinach, avocado, feta & Parmesan cheeses
- Veggie Eggs Benedict:spinach and grilled tomato
- Short stack, buttermilk pancakes, with strawberries
- Scones to go: Cranberry orange, cinnamon walnut, and lemon blueberry
- June Hoffman assisted with front of house duties and honored her commitment to our reservation, despite the crowds out the door; impressed, big time!
Monterey Bay Aquarium (purchased tickets via Dawn's phone, while we stood in line, which saved us about 15 minutes of waiting)
- Sea otters
- The Jellies Experience
- Tentacles: The Astounding Lives of Octopuses, Squid and Cuttlefishes
- Kelp forest
- Touch pools
- Penguins
- 90-foot window "Open Sea" exhibit
Snack at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Cafe:
- Mission Hill Creamery gluten-free bitter chocolate fudge bar
- Lone Cypress
- Pebble Beach Golf Links (As a gift, Dawn purchased a Pebble Beach Four Course Wave Divot Tool & Ball Markers Set and Pebble Beach Golf Links Tri-Fold Raised Check Golf Towel)
- Ghost Tree
- Seals at Cypress Point Lookout
Artichokes in the fields along Highway 1
Dinner at KAITO Japanese restaurant, 830 41st Avenue, Santa Cruz:
- Tonkotsu Ramen : Rich pork flavor soup
- Tonkotsu Ramen : Rich pork flavor soup, with extra steamed veggies (cabbage, carrots)
- Tonkotsu Ramen : Rich pork flavor soup, with boiled egg and extra noodles
- Sake sampler (Three kind of Premium Sake) : A ) Kubota B ) Hakkaisan C ) Kanchiku
Dessert at The Penny Ice Creamery, 820 41st Avenue, Santa Cruz:
- Bitter caramel ice cream cookie sandwich, with chocolate cookies
- Scoop of lemon poppyseed ice cream
MONDAY
Breakfast: oatmeal with raspberries and banana (home)
Coffee at Café Ivéta, 2125 Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz (note: they use Lavazza--pronounced, in Italy, as "laˈvattsa"--coffee, for espresso drinks)
Zip line: Mount Hermon Redwood Canopy Tours
- Greg and Theo
- Photo opportunity missed on last segment
- Oldest known tree in zip line use
- Greg pointed out a coastal redwood tree growing on top of another another coastal redwood tree (an epiphyte). He mentioned a specific coastal redwood tree, Iluvatar, in Humboldt County, which represents the only "Class 6 reiteration known on a redwood." (page 15) That is, a trunk from a trunk from a trunk from a trunk from a trunk from a trunk. I think he may have said that tree had over 200 such epiphyte growths...just a massive tree.
- Many people seem to believe National Geographic staff featured Iluvatar in their October 2009 issue, which includes a five-page photo pullout, documenting the height of the tree
- Bridge crossings--mom did OK
- Two bolts hold up each tree platform; suspended mainly by tension
- Petzl zip line equipment
- Harness
- Carabiners
- Pulley
- Helmet
- Tips on zip lining
- Hold dominant hand on top
- Brake with hand flat, on the lower wire
- Knees up, to go faster
- Cross ankles, while in transit
- Watch guide for instructions on braking
- Emergency brake-hands on either side of the pullet
- Fort Point (Monday's slice-of-the-day): Light Tomato & Pesto Sauce with Roma Tomatoes, Chicken, Ricotta, Sausage, Artichoke, Basil & Herbs
- Pesto: Made with Basil, Garlic, Parmesan & Almonds
- Prima: Roma Tomatoes, Feta, Olives & Parmesan
- Mushroom
- Super Veggie
UC Santa Cruz:
- The Bay Tree Bookstore: Banana Slug magnet and Banana Slug Slug Buddy Ornament
- Engineering buildings, where Dawn studies
- Porter College Koi Pond (note: I wondered, while sitting on the ledge, whether anyone had attempted to remove the koi--tragically, yes, with fatal consequences for a rare mature Hikari Ogon Japanese Koi, which fraternity members "whacked with a rake and took away to be barbecued"..."Goldie," also known as "Midas," was considered to be a gentle 20 lb. fish, a favorite of children among the pond's 16 koi on the Porter College campus...UCSC permanently revoked recognition of the fraternity and the two students received 500 hours of community service and five years probation...the pond now has a memorial plaque and the two students purchased a replacement fish)
Donnelley Chocolates, 1509 Mission Street, Santa Cruz:
- Ice cream bar: Sea salt and dark chocolate coating, with vanilla ice cream and caramel on the inside
- Liquor bombs: "That was the best liquor - chocolate combo I have ever had" NPR Feb 5th, 2007 chocolate tasting. Fine dark chocolate balls filled with liquid fine liquor centers. Boxes may include chocolates made with Germain Robin brandy, Anejo Patron tequila, raspberry wine, port or mixed drinks. These chocolate bombs are liquid on the inside and must be enjoyed in one bite. (8 piece gift box)"
- Dark chocolate truffle cookie
- Dark chocolate sea salt caramel
Lemon mochi cake
Dinner: leftover ramen from Sunday, grazing
Dinner: leftover ramen from Sunday, grazing
TUESDAY
Breakfast at Hoffman's Bistro and Patisserie, 1102 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz
- Chilaquiles (Al Sur De La Frontera): eggs scrambled with jalepenos, green onions, tomatoes, jack & cheddar cheeses, and crispy tortilla strips, topped with salsa verde and sour cream, black beans on the side
- Short stack, buttermilk pancakes, with chocolate chips
- House-made cheese blintzes: light and slightly sweet with our own berry compote
- Scones to go: Cranberry orange, lemon blueberry, and cinnamon walnut
Boardwalk (drove by)
Travel to Napa, via Highway 1 and San Francisco
Kitesurfers
Swanton Berry Farm, 25 Swanton Road, Davenport, CA
- Olallieberry Jam
- Truffle with Tayberry filling
- Strawberry lemonade (thick and very sweet)
- Honor till; cash only
- To try, later: "Jim's famous fruit cake (the real deal)"
Golden Gate Bridge
Sausalito
- Roly Poly Happy Cat Solar Bobblehead (looks like chibi tiger) purchased at Sausalito Ferry Company, 688 Bridgeway, Sausalito: "The Roly Poly Maneki bobblehead uses only a solar cell to power the cat's motion. No batteries. Works just fine with most interior lighting. Toy is 3 1/4 inches tall and across."
- Red "Sausalito" short-sleeve tee shirt purchased by mom, at Sausalito Shirt Company, 676 Bridgeway, Sausalito
- Cup of Scoma's clam chowder: Boston (white)
- Cup of lobster bisque: creamy bisque with lobster pieces
- Upscale dining, however, they gracefully accommodated us, in vacation attire...felt a bit awkward, for everyone, I think...but definitely not the only ones dressed that way
- Staff removed tableware before we left...not sure if they thought we would take it or just really efficient...I suspect the latter but, at the time, felt awkward, and we laughed about it, after exiting the restaurant
- Very professional, courteous almost to the point of obsequiousness, so not as much connection with out waiter
Hotel: Napa Discovery Inn, 500 Silverado Trail, Napa: room 15; just fine, as we only needed a room for overnight--hot water, quiet, comfy beds, close to dining and grocery. Wi-fi seemed intermittenly inaccessible (?) I tried calling to confirm our reservation and spoke with someone named Meena (spelling?), who seemed to fumble the phone a bit and said to call back in five minutes...we decided to just arrive and sort it out...she seemed very pleasant, in person, and we had no further communication problems
- Four cheese grille: "A blend of sharp cheddar, aged white cheddar, Asiago & Parmesan cheeses melted on toasted Tuscan bread. Served with a bowl of tomato basil soup."
- Side of regular fries
- Shrimp & Broccoli Cavatappi: "Spiral-cut cavatappi pasta tossed in a light cream sauce with broccoli, topped with peppered & grilled shrimp then finished with Parmesan cheese blend and fresh lemon." (and ice tea)
- They had E la Carte's Presto tablets on each table, which the waitress showed how to use to pay for the meal...we tried playing games but quickly discovered no free ones...so, we turned it to the wall and ignored it...good idea, looks sharp, but the business use cases seem a bit non-intuitive and too clunky...mom wanted a printed receipt, she said the device offered her an option to get one, but no printed receipt was forthcoming...not sure where the point-of-failure was, there
Hot air balloon, via Napa Valley Aloft:
- Champagne Post -Flight Breakfast - recommended
- Hula (our balloon) and Tango (one other balloon)
- Complimentary coffee and muffin/scone
- $40 photo package - Recommended; comes with some stock photos and all photos on a CD
- Launch: V Marketplace, 6525 Washington Street, Yountville
- Touchdown: Laurel Hills Park (also known as Laurel Street Park), 2999 Laurel St, Napa
- Distance (as the crow flies): ~8 miles
- Time: ~one hour, 15 minutes
- Pilot: J.P. (Jon-Paul) Gagnon: "J.P. has been with Balloons Above the Valley since 1999 when he moved to the Napa Valley to support his wife’s dream of running a Bed and Breakfast. We love men that support their wife’s dreams! He started his ballooning career in the Napa Valley and trained with some of the most experienced pilots available. J.P. is known as the “Jack of all trades” here at the company offering assistance in all areas of the business. In his off hours, J.P. can be found fishing anywhere he can. His smoked salmon is scrumptious!"
- His wife was going to Carmel to run a business for a month, while their child traveled
- Julia Gallo's house on hilltop - was Mondavi's (sold for $23 million)
- JP: "Ha, we are over my friend Harry's house!"
- Two other balloons arose, which seemed unexpected and forced us east
- As we passed near Alston Park, the primary landing location, currents of air shifted and pushed us a bit farther south
- As we drifted a bit, over Napa, JP heard a public address system from a female teacher at West Park Elementary School, below--we waved, and heard her say, to the students assembled outside, "They are really waving at us, now! I wonder if they want to land here?" JP laughed and yelled, "I would love to land there!" However, we had already drifted too far south
- Skittish horse on the other side of the fence, at Laurel Hills Park
- Scrape, scrape--popped over an oak tree into the park--ground crew grabbed us and secured the landing (after reaching consensus on all pushing in the same direction)
- Attendant had a nice button-down double pocketed heavy-weight navy shirt
- Napa Valley Aloft pin
- Male photographer's face and mannerisms reminded me of Dawn's father
- JP drove us back in a commercial van to the starting point
Two wine suggestions, from the hot air balloon crew:
- Honig Vineyard & Winery, 850 Rutherford Road, Rutherford
- Jessup Cellars, 6740 Washington St, Yountville
Breakfast at Pacific Blues Cafe, 6525 Washington Street, Yountville:
- Three egg omelette: Add your choice of two stuffings - cheese (your choice), mushrooms, salsa - mine came with hashbrowns, I think (?)
- Vanilla Cinnamon French Toast: Fresh baked pain de mie bread (from the Bouchon Bakery, across the street), dusted with powdered sugar, bananas, walnuts, and maple syrup
- Mimosa cocktail, served by JP, with fresh orange juice and sparkling wine, via Domain Chandon Brut Classic, Yountville (directly west of the restaurant, on the other side of Highway 29)
- Changed into nicer clothing, in preparation for the evening meal
Chocolate bark sample at Kollar Chocolates...they had some shiny, metallic colored chocolates
Trouble in Napa Valley: "Murder-suicide leaves fate of winery, lawsuits in question"...this occurred on Monday, March 23, two days before we arrived, and involves Dahl Vineyards, in Yountville.
Noticed a clothing store, "Kāne", with the same name as a friend's surname
Castello di Amorosa
- Hogs
- Peacock
- Quail
- Smell of wine casks (vinegar)
- Saw both cats we saw in 2014, though both snubbed us
- Drove past the Kleugel House, at 2669 Le Conte Avenue, Berkeley
- Drove up the very steep Le Conte Avenue, between Hearst Avenue and Scenic Avenue
- Walked through UC Berkeley west entrance, on Hearst, and proceeded across to near Telegraph, viewing the library, the quad, and the Sather Tower campanile--failed in our quest to find a UC Berkeley sign
- Drove down Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley
Original Peet's Coffee & Tea, 2124 Vine St, Berkeley
Epicurious Garden garden public area:
- Sat on the steps for about an hour, while we waited for our Chez Panisse reservation
- Part of the Epicurious Garden take out building
- Across from the Cheeseboard Collective
- We also passed The Juice Bar Collective
As I walked back to Dawn and mom, after parking the car on Cedar Avenue, I spotted, at the opposite side of an alley, some bamboo, and I thought I would see if it represented a shortcut back to them. The alley ran north-south, in parallel with Shattuck Avenue, behind two street-facing businesses, "Chaam Berkeley" and "Dara’s Authentic Thai & Lao Cuisine", on one side, and "Grégoire Restaurant", on the other (map). As I walked, I passed a blue recycling bin, with a flat sheet of brown grocery-paper-like material on top. On this brown paper, in black marker, I read the following (paraphrased): "I am an alien. My name is Adam. Please know you are in extreme danger." (I forget the rest). Weird! Not creeped out, but just curious. I left it, kept going, and found myself at the end of the alley, with one side going onto a private back patio and the other along a very narrow planks to the front of Chaam Berkeley, from which I walked down a few steps and onto the sidewalk of Shattuck Avenue. It turned out I was several stores down from the Epicurious Garden take out building.
Dinner at Chez Panisse,1517 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley:
- Food and drink:
- Smoked black cod and Little Gems lettuce salad with Chioggia beets, chives, and mustard blossoms (mom said she got only one beet)
- Handmade farfalle di farro with wild mushrooms and mint (wow--mint was a winner)
- Paine Farm lamb grilled with anchovies, garlic, and sage; with sweet peas, little turnips, and asparagus sformato
- Rhubarb crostata with tangerine ice cream
- Wine: 375mL half-bottle of 2011 Cahors, Clos La Coutale
- Server: Gianni
- Note: fire damage, from March 8, 2013, "mainly confined to the two-story front porch seating areas," with a re-opening on June 24, 2013 (link)
- We sat in a corner, on the west side of the dining area, to the south of one other table...we seemed to sit on the other side of the wall from the entry way--not that it was any issue, but only to give an idea of where we sat.
- Our fellow guests, to the north: a mother (?) and son, the latter an academic lecturer and advisor to graduate students, who discussed topics of technology, academia, and travel...they explicitly mentioned their Jewish background, which interested me; he seemed to work at Stanford, via MIT, and looked young, while she looked a few years older...he mentioned his father worked at Fermilab, near Chicago
- Gianni mentioned he had worked at the restaurant in 2009, when Dawn and I last visited
- In the entryway, we noticed a poster for the 193 French film "César": "The famed restaurateur and founder of California cuisine, Alice Waters, was so taken by this film that she named her Berkeley restaurant "Chez Panisse". The café upstairs from the restaurant is decorated with posters from the films "Marius", "Fanny", and "César"." (Panisse represents their surname)
Hotel: San Jose Marriott, 301 South Market Street, San Jose, room #824
- Lots of bail bond companies, in the area
- Dawn and I recognized the area, a bit, as the same area we ate at when we attended the Radiohead concert nearby SAP Center at San Jose (note: it was the HP Pavilion at San Jose, at that time: "In June 2013, German software company SAP (co-founded by Sharks managing partner Hasso Plattner, who is also SAP's chairman of the board) purchased the naming rights to the facility in a five-year deal worth $3.35 million per year. The arena was renamed "SAP Center at San Jose" following the approval of the San Jose City Council.")
- Arrived around 9:00 p.m.
- Pacific Coast Feather Company
- Duvet: Hotel White Goose Down Blanket
- Pillows x 4: Hotel Touch of Down Pillow - Super Standard sized, medium firmness (inner: duck feathers; outer: down)
- The San Jose Marriott welcomed:
- Android Builders Summit (March 23-25, 2015)
- Embedded Linux Conference (March 23-25, 2015)
- We noticed a number of individuals talking about technology, near the entrance
- We noticed loading of audio and stage equipment onto a truck near the entrance, presumably for the conference/summit
- Valet parking: $31
- Great hotel experience--reasonable price, in my opinion, via Priceline (thanks, William Shatner)
- Again, our use case involved a hot shower and a bed, for an early morning flight
- Front desk staff seemed professional and helpful, but no connection
THURSDAY
Coffee from hotel
Depart Mineta San José International Airport, 6:15 a.m.
- Wrestlemania 31 marketing in the terminal, including a basket with maps and information, for arriving attendees
- Parking was no problem; five minutes to walk to security...check-in took about 5-10 minutes
- Tearful goodbyes :' o )
Seized mom's jam at security. > : o ( We will send a care package : o )
No comments:
Post a Comment