Since Alex and I moved to San Francisco we have not had any time to explore at all. We have completely different work schedules but we finally (after months) have Sundays off together. So now we have been exploring new places. Two weekends ago we decided to head to Lake Berryessa which is located between Napa and Sacramento. On our way there I realized that we were awfully close to Green Valley which means wine tasting. Anyone heard of Green Valley? It is not that well-known for wine country, as it’s not Napa, Sonoma or even Healdsburg, but amazing wine comes out of Green Valley. Green Valley is just off I-80 on the way to Sacramento and it is definitely a place I would recommend stopping off at. We stopped at GV Cellars and Rock Creek Winery (only open for a limited time on Sundays) but there are plenty of other wineries in the area and they are all excellent. I absolutely love going to GV Cellars, every time I have been there the wine maker is there chatting with everyone and they are always so friendly. I have done straight from the barrel tastings there where I had a wine that tasted like popcorn, I kid you not. I have a notoriously non-existent palette when it comes to wine but I still maintain tasting popcorn. Now wine is not supposed to taste like popcorn but it was really young wine and when we tasted an identical but aged wine it was phenomenal. Alex and I spent over two hours at GV Cellars just chatting and enjoying great wine.
We then headed up to Rock Creek Winery and because they are so rarely open only two other groups of people were tasting when we arrived (try finding that in Napa). We were invited to sit outside in the vineyards and they brought us our tastings. Unfortunately I had to drive but I was still able to sneak some sips of Alex’s wine and we brought a bottle of their Sangiovese which is outstanding and it was only $20!
Rock Creek Vineyards, definitely a great stop on Sunday Wine Tasting. We sat just outside on the patio at the end of the road. Rock Creek is up in the hills and you can see some gigantic houses on the surrounding hills.
After we picked up some bottles of wine we finally headed to Lake Berryessa to catch a few hours of sun and lay out at the Lake. It was a gorgeous day at the Lake and it was so nice to just relax and enjoy the sun.
Love the moon hanging out with us at the Lake/Us arriving somewhat late and having the sun go down on us because we were wine tasting all day….
This weekend we spent it in San Francisco; Alex’s parents were in town and we went out exploring. On Sunday morning we went and grabbed Dim Sum at Yank Sing, it was amazingly crowded for 10:30 in the morning (or maybe that’s just me, not being a morning person) but once the food started rolling out I found out why it was so crowded. The Saigon soup dumplings were amazing! I loved them and I loved my favorite Chinese food item, the pot sticker. Alex is somewhat more adventurous than me when it comes to food so I think every item that went past us ended up on our table including one of Alex’s favorites the chicken feet.
After breakfast Dim Sum we headed to possibly my favorite place in the city, The Buena Vista Cafe. The Buena Vista Cafe is famous for inventing the Irish Coffee which is the most delectable combination of coffee, shaken cream, sugar and WHISKEY, so you cannot go wrong. The Buena Vista Cafe is located at the end of the Hyde Street Cable Car and located right by Ghiradelli Square. I absolutely love coming down here during the holidays and enjoying a warm Irish Coffee and enjoying the view from their back room which has a large round table right in front of a huge window (Last year we even took part in some impromptu Christmas Caroling).
Alcatraz or The Rock (which you must say in a Sean Connery Voice) which you can see from the BV – On a side note, as a good Bay Area native I have never been to Alcatraz, should probably put that on the list of places to explore.
It was also a perfect spot to catch some of the America’s Cup Races. The view from Fort Mason was stunning as we watched America capture two wins in a row to tie with New Zealand. We definitely picked the best races to watch.
It was such a gorgeous day in the city and we capped off a great day with Pisco Sours at La Mer at Pier 1 1/2. La Mer is one of my favorite restaurants in the City. It is a modern Peruvian Cebicheria and the food is amazing!
I would definitely suggest a dinner there to experience their full menu from the Causas, whipped potatoes with toppings from avocado to crab, the empanadas, and of course the cebiche. My favorite is their cebichin clasico which is the catch of the day in the tigre de leche sauce with Habanero peppers and red onions. When Alex and I went this time we were very happy to discover that it was HAPPY HOUR, the happiest of all hours, and that meant $5 Pisco Sours and basically half price appetizers. It was such a great way to end the day exploring the City and two great Sundays all around!
I love the Golden Gate Bridge especially when its being mysterious and all covered with fog and there is fog nowhere else.
Hopefully the next few Sundays we will be able to go on more adventures and share them with you!
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This rock has an eagle carved into it, can anyone spot it? It took me forever sadly A Glimpse of Sedona
Tips for Wine Tasting in Green Valley
If you have only ever tasted wine in Napa or Sonoma, Green Valley feels like a completely different world. The tasting rooms are small, the crowds are thin, and you are far more likely to end up chatting with the people who actually made the wine. That is a big part of why I keep going back.
- Check hours before you go. Some wineries, like Rock Creek, are open only on limited days, so a quick look at their schedule saves you a disappointing drive.
- Pick a designated driver. I learned this one the hard way, since sneaking sips from Alex's glass is not exactly the same as tasting for yourself.
- Ask for a barrel tasting. Trying young wine next to the aged version of the same bottle is a surprisingly good lesson, even for someone with a palate like mine.
- Leave room in the schedule. Two hours can vanish at a single winery when the conversation is good.
Planning a Day Around Lake Berryessa
Pairing wine country with a lake day is easy because Green Valley sits just off I-80 on the way toward Sacramento. The trick is pacing. We lingered so long over our tastings that we reached the water late and watched the sun go down on us, which was a lovely problem to have, but I would not mind a few more hours of sunshine next time.
My advice is to start with your tastings earlier in the day, pick up a bottle or two, and save the lake for the afternoon. It is a great way to turn a lazy Sunday into a real mini adventure without driving very far.
Exploring Your Own Backyard
Moving to San Francisco reminded me how easy it is to ignore what is right in front of you. I grew up in the Bay Area and still have not been to Alcatraz, which is almost embarrassing given how often I stare at it from the Buena Vista. Having Sundays off together has changed that, and our weekends are now filled with the kind of exploring we kept putting off for months.
The city rewards that curiosity. In a single weekend we managed dim sum, Irish Coffee, sailboat racing and Peruvian cebiche, and none of it required more than a short ride across town. If you live somewhere long enough to stop noticing it, I would suggest picking a Sunday and acting like a tourist.
What's Next
The list of places to explore keeps growing, and Alcatraz is now at the top of it. Keep following along, because there is plenty more to come, including what we got up to in October 2013.