A Wine-ing We Will Go

B & I are in California and loving it. B, in fact, is singing the above song... "Don't drink it all... Don't drink it all.. Don't drink it all cause if you do you won't come home." An ode to the spit method of wine tasting, I believe!

We left at dawn on Friday, only 'dawn' doesn't really do it justice. B set the alarm for 4am and we were out the door by 4:25. We saw the sunrise during our layover in Charlotte. I'm pretty sure I scared B--I can't get out of bed at 8am, but I can bounce up and sing show tunes at 4:15 in the morning. Good Morning Baltimore!

So Friday was pretty nutty. Long flights. Jumbled internal clocks. So on. So forth. We got a full (and amazing!) walking tour of Berkeley from his little brother, who has an "epic" house there before descending on an amazing spot for dinner: Chez Panisse. All local, all delicious, and all booked up way in advance. You have to call 30 days in advance for reservations. Call 31 days out and they won't take it. Call 29 days out and you're too late-- they're booked. It definitely lived up to the hype-- each dish more flavorful and full bodied than the last. I stole the menus, which I'm sure is fine as they change every day!

B and I totally crashed by about 10:30 that night (even after my full-octane mocha at dinner) and woke up early to hit the farmer's market before we headed to wine country with his family. I can't wait to live in a city where I can go load up on fresh veggies for the week at the local market. Well, that isn't technically right, as I can do that now. What I really need is one that's in my backyard and doesn't start until 10am. I may move to California.

We browsed the amazing fruits and veggies at the market, and opted not to sign the petition to legalize marijuana, then headed to Peace Park for the annual Native American ceremonies, which happen on Columbus Day weekend each year or, as they call it in California, "Indigenous People's Day." Again, I may move to California. Especially if I can end pre-dinner prayers with the traditional Native American blessing: a-Hoy Hoy. B may move to California to get away from me!

After our stroll, we grabbed lunch at a great burrito before loading up in the minivan and heading to wine country.

Newsflash: Wine country is small. Not bad small, but totally do-able small. The whole thing is like 30 miles total. I LOVE It!

More updates later, including Day 1 of wine country, Day 2 of wine country (today), and San Fran (until Wednesday). Can't wait!