Where to go for the perfect 2 Daycation?

[Dining Diva]

Just got back from Seattle and I almost missed my flight, since the endless security line wound around like HWY 1.
I've come to the conclusion that the answer is to stay out of airports and take more road trips and for me, a 2-Daycation is just right!

(A 2-Daycation consists of one overnight, starting and ending with a scenic drive and includes a 1/2 day of sightseeing/hiking/or shopping and a 1/2 day of just chilling; sipping wine by the pool and reading a good book. It is important that one selects a hotel, inn, or B & B that provides for a GREAT night's sleep, and being a Dining Diva,the choice of restaurants, be it French Laundry or a local BBQ joint, is crucial to the success of your getaway.

Where do you like to go for a memorable meal and overnight?

[Dining Diva]

Monterey- TusCa Ristorante

I just came back from a good contender. A few days ago, I drove down to Monterey, stopping at every artichoke, garlic and strawberry stand I could find. (*Foodie Tip: Stop at a farm and get some extra strawberries to bring home. Slice them in half, put them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and dry them overnight in the oven, set on the lowest possible temperature. These dried beauties are loaded with flavor, and make the perfect snack to bring on your next road trip)

I hit town just in time to spend a mesmerizing hour watching the translucent jellyfish dance at the Monterey Aquarium. Then I checked into the Hyatt Regency Monterey, ready for dinner at their brand new signature restaurant, TusCA Ristorante, which completes the first phase of the resort's $45 million renovation. Clever name, since the food at TusCa is a blend of authentic Tuscan cuisine prepared with the freshest California ingredients.

After the drive it felt great to relax at my table, sipping a fantastic Sauvignon Blanc from Italy that the sommelier had recommended, while taking in the view of the world-famous Pebble Beach Company's Del Monte Golf Course.( A businesslike-looking foursome, three men and a woman, were playing a round and I almost spit out my wine, I was laughing so hard when I saw the woman miss a shot and throw, not only a complete hissy-fit, but her clubs, too!)

I was glad I was not on a date when the crunchy loaf of ciabatta bread was brought to the table, accompanied by a petite bottle of EVO and a whole head of "fragrant" wood-roasted garlic--perfect for spreading. In the mood for seafood, I chose the garlicky (I'm working a theme here) Little Neck Clam antipasti, followed by the Caesar salad topped with gorgeous baby white anchovies, and the roasted Branzino. The delicate fish filets went well with the chunky, herby, eggplant caponata. Too full for dessert, (never) I was only able to polish off only 1/2 of the luscious wood-oven baked apple tart, topped with caramel ice cream.

Not only was the food incredible, BUT...the prices are simply unbelievable. I suggest you go quickly before someone tells the extremely talented team of: Executive Chef Mark Ayers and TusCA Chef Neill Dunn, that they could easily charge double for food this good...and portions this size! (Except for the Sirloin Steak, entrees were all priced in the teens!)

And don't even get me started on the daily breakfast buffet!


http://monterey.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/

[Dining Diva]

I sent an “instant message” to Muffin*, my pal from college with an invite to come join me in Tiburon for a 2- Daycation.

Her quick response? “I’m in.”

A few days later I pick her up at SFO and we take the endlessly long
ride from San Francisco to Tiburon. Try only 15 minutes—now that’s what I like in a getaway. We zip over the Golden Gate Bridge, through the tunnel and abracadabra, it’s like being transported to another world. Even Tiburon’s weather, to say nothing of it’s landscape, people, and vibe, is totally different from San Fran’s. It was at least 1o degrees warmer when we exited the freeway and a few miles later segued into our digs for the night - the newly renovated

Lodge at Tiburon.
This full service, easy-going luxe hotel sits smack dab in the heart of Tibbie-town.
The Lodge’s public spaces are lovely, done up in beautiful outdoor shades -the exact colors of Nature’s wardrobe. The craftsman-style property has 102 rooms, including the suites and are styled out with every amenity necessary for an easy getaway: Sumptuous featherbeds WITH a choice of pillows- so important for that perfect night’s sleep, a large complimentary wireless workspace complete with an ergonomically correct chair,(because they don’t want you getting all knotted up after you just spent the last hour luxuriating in your massive Jacuzzi tub,) cuddly-soft robes, free movies to borrow, and so on….

After we arrive, we head directly to the pool to catch some late afternoon rays. The beautifully maintained patio area is studded with flowers and fantastic private cabana’s (literally unheard of in the Bay Area) triggering a Pavlovian response to order one of those resort-y cocktails. Ahhhhh, this is the life.

The only noise we heard came from our tummies, growling as a reminder that we had skipped lunch. Dressed “pool casual ” we strolled in to the Lodge’s Dining Room,

Three Degrees
. We decided to sit outside, which thoughtfully has heat lamps to combat any winds, so we could eyeball the local action. Tiburon’s quaint boutiques,art galleries, bars and restaurants are just a stone’s throw away and it was fun to see the locals meandering about as their day came to a close.

Dinner time! We speed -read though our menu’s and ordered up. After a sip of two different wines so that we could decide which we preferred,(don’t you just love places that do that?) are apps arrived.
I loved my loaded Gingered crab cake(s) starter with it’s side of sweet and sour slaw. Muff went for their Market Salad, a tasty tangle of greens, apples, blue cheese and candied pecans. She felt she needed the roughage. Like, did anyone ask?

Next up was the most wonderful entree -a slowly braised pork shoulder, sporting
a ruffle of super thin potatoes, topped with the teensiest little pearl-sized pear rounds. We also shared a Tavern Menu burger-largely because so many people around us seemed to be eating it with gusto. Good call.

We were to full for dessert, still, not a peep was heard from our table, when our waiter brought out a plate with two white porcelain spoons for each of us. One held a taste of cherry-coke sorbet topped by bitter-sweet coco nibs, and the other had frozen passion fruit ice with a bit of mango and sea salt. Talk about a perfect ending! This Chef has ice-cream NAILED!
Bedtime!

[Dining Diva]

We had an early morning wake-up call since we had signed up for the special Tiburon/Angel Island Getaway Package, and wanted to explore the island before it got too hot. After fueling up over breakfast and countless cups of deliciously strong coffee, we walked a block to catch the ferry.

Reaching the island about 20 minutes later, we had a quick debate about what mode of transportation to use for our explorations….Muff was to scared to try the Segways, ( I know– sometimes even I wonder why we’re still friends,) and I refused to join the oldsters on the guided tram tour (although I’m sure it’s interesting) so we settled on renting bikes.

Biking was the perfect compromise, since the circular 5 miles route offered incredible views, and thankfully was mostly easy pedaling with only an occasional hill. Two hours later we were more than ready for lunch. The island boasts a cute café with fairly-priced picnic fixings; fresh salads, sandwiches, snacks and wine.
Now, for a few words about Angel Island. First, it’s the largest island in the San Francisco Bay. Second, it’s a State Park. Third, it’s oft referred to as the “Ellis Island of the West”. It served as an immigration station between 1910 and 1940, with many of the brick buildings still standing. You’ll love the snap-history lesson -all the important sites are clearly marked with stone plaques and a brief explanation.
Fourth,we loved the spectacular views of Marin County, San Francisco, the Golden Gate, actually, the entire Bay Area. These particular views are not often seen unless you are boating.

Conclusion:
Let the happy, super-friendly staff at the Tiburon Lodge put the whole package together for you, to make things really user-friendly. And, with the price of gas these days, revel in the knowledge that on your 2 -Daycation at The Lodge at Tiburon

and
a visit to Angel Island your vehicle will never once move from Park.

Now that’s what I call Geographically Desirable!

* Names were NOT changed to protect the identity of anyone.

The Lodge at Tiburon is a member of Larkspur Hotels and Restaurants.

[oorahljim]

Dining Diva;
I would also rather drive-take Amtrak-or ride my motorcycle than take a plane,(except when going overseas).
Jim

[oorahljim]

Here in the Midwest-or "Old Northwest Territory",it is fun to travel two lane blacktop and visit small town festival's. like Belleville's Strawberry Festival in June.
Jim

[Dining Diva]

Living next door to so many fantastic wine regions is one of the reasons I love the Bay Area, however, every once and a while (usually while nursing a major hangover) I reach my saturation point where I don’t want to sip, swirl, spit or even look at a grape! Which is why I was excited to hear about a brand new experience that I can try while visiting wine country.

Spend a beautiful day learning about artisan olive oil making in wine country! This November,Pietra Santa Winery is hosting its first annual “Olive Experience” in the picturesque Cienega Valley near Hollister, California.

Wine and Olive Oil Maker Alessio Carli will guide participants on a day long adventure where they will “get their hands dirty” learning how to harvest olives. Guests will also learn how to combine traditional techniques with modern technology to craft a premium bottle of extra virgin, organic olive oil, using the winery’s state of the art Pieralisi Press. Alessio will also lead an educational tasting including flavor profiling of the 5 different olive varietals grown on the estate.

After you return from picking olives and spending time on the crush pad, a garden lunch and dinner including wine selections from Pietra Santa will be provided on the winery grounds, with Alessio and winery owners, the Blackburn family.

To commemorate your trip, all guests will take home their own bottle of premium extra virgin organic olive oil that they helped to produce, along with a bottle of premium artisan wine from Pietra Santa and commemorative photographs taken during the day’s festivities.

If you want to make this a weekend affair, check out their website for suggestions on where to stay & what to see (antiquing, museums, adobe misssions,etc.)

Date: November 7th

Cost: $350 for one, $600 for a group of two

Web: www.pietrasantawinery.com

[Dining Diva]

After a fun food & wine filled weekend at the 22nd ANNUAL LAKE TAHOE AUTUMN FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL, our plan was to explore California’s Mother Lode. It was a gorgeous two-hour drive from Tahoe, and we only got lost twice (a new record) enroute to our final destination: Sutter Creek.

Although there are dozens of historic small towns to choose from, we had chosen S.C. because the brochures touted it as “the nicest town in the Mother Lode” and Sutter Creek, population 2,500, really did have 2,499 of the nicest, happiest, most hospitable people living there.

Everyone (except one crotchety restaurant owner-don’t know what his prob was!) enthusiastically weighed in on where to eat, what to see; graciously supplying us with maps & directions (they don’t trust Mapquest) and even the Vice-Mayor stopped by to greet us. As you walk the quaint town, with its many handsome old buildings and shady verandas, popping in and out of the antique stores, theaters, galleries and restaurants, it’s easy to imagine miners lining up to buy picks and shovels hoping to strike it rich.

But to really learn about mining, plan on taking the highly educational, highly entertaining one-hour tour of the Sutter Gold Mine. You’ll be given a hardhat as you board the tractor that takes you 1,850 feet into the mine. Charlie, our grizzled guide and a real miner, regaled us with fascinating anecdotes and amusing stories. (Did you know that miners used to sneak gold nuggets out of the mines by sticking them under their long beards with honey, or that many miners are deathly afraid of heights, because Charlie refuses to get on an airplane!) By the end of our tour we were able to detect “Fools Gold” from the real stuff.

There was many B & Bs to choose from; however, after a hard day of mining, we wanted to be sure of a good hard bed and plenty of hot water so we made reservations at Days Inn Sutter Creek where “lasting memories every time you visit” it’s not only our motto but a way of life, and I’ll be danged if it ain’t the truth.

We were pleasantly surprised with the up-to-date amenities, efficient service, and unique country hospitality. It was brand-spanking clean, nice and quiet, with super comfy beds, (we all had a perfect sleep) waking up to a very generous complimentary continental breakfast!

I’m definitely staying here when I return next June for Black Bart Days (which take you back 124 years–to June 23, 1883,) when the whole town partakes in historic re-enactments of Black Bart’s last successful stage coach robbery — and there’s talk of combining it this year with their famous chili cooking contest!


P.s. Only 15 minutes away, I had one of the most incredibly delish dinners I've had the whole last year..will fill you in with details later..this is just a tease:-)

[Dining Diva]

I thought we’d have fun exploring gold country, but I never expected to hit gold in the dining category. Yet, after dining at Taste Restaurant, located in the one-horse town of Plymouth (which we learned about from our affable host at the Days Inn) I stand corrected!

We were completely blown away by the hip ambiance, sophisticated seasonal menu, knowledgeable service and the food is utterly FANTASTIC-rivaling San Francisco’s finest!

Highlights of our dinner: Everything!

From the fresh Brentwood Corn Soup with “corn truffle” flan, to the Alaskan Black Cod with shitake mushrooms and fuji apple, followed by an exquisitely prepared Roasted Guinea Hen flavored with pancetta, black mission figs and an ambrosial Amador port reduction.

Tip: I’d highly recommend that when you make reservations tell them to be sure and hold a couple of orders of the warm Blackberry Gallette: fresh blackberries, cream cheese crust, warm brandy sauce, vanilla bean gelato. Sheer perfection.

(I later found out that the owners Tracy and Mark Berkner are the former owners of highly regarded St. George Hotel in Volcano. No wonder it was packed on a chilly Monday night.)

Taste Restaurant
A: 9402 Main Street, Plymouth, CA 95669
T: (209) 245-3463
Taste serves dinners starting at 5 PM on Thursday-Monday.
Directions: Take CA 49 into Plymouth. Turn north onto Main Street.