Food is essential to life. Here is a variety of fun, odd, and amusing facts about food, cooking, eating and consumption in general. Get your fork (and your wine glass) ready… to join along with us… Do YOU know as much as you think about the foods that you eat?!? … Let’s see. … 40 […]
CIA Greystone Napa Appellation Trail Tasting
Whether you’re interested in shopping for culinary delights or dining in the award-winning restaurant, most food lovers agree, CIA Greystone Napa offers a fantastic backdrop. I recently had the pleasure of spending the weekend at FlavorNapa 2013. Some of the events took place on the historic CIA property in Napa, including the Appellation Trail Tasting. […]
A Taste of Sonoma, Crushin’ it at St Francis
The best way to leave a Wine Country visitor with the ‘true experience’ of Sonoma County… is through the fork as well as the glass. One winery in Sonoma Valley that is Crushin’ It when it comes to the taste of the surrounding area is St Francis Winery in Santa Rosa, CA. A good tip […]
It’s All In The Dough at Vignette Pizzeria Sebastopol
A lifetime of pizza obsession leads to Neapolitan style pies at Vignette in Sebastopol. Yesterday, my favorite neighborhood community pizzeria was named one of the BEST RESTAURANTS IN SONOMA COUNTY by the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau. Not too shabby. And well deserved. I have become quite obsessed with the dough from Vignette, baked to perfection […]
Wine + Food + Beer + Music – Bottle Rock Napa
Bottle Rock Napa 2014 is here, folks, and I couldn’t be happier. Us locals to Wine Country think of the Bottle Rock show as an event that kicks off the summer fun in Northern California. This year I am happy to be part of the BottleRock Napa Social Media Team…We are only 5 days away from #BRNV14! Over 60 bands […]
Hands-On Gourmet SF Cooking Wine Country Style at Jacuzzi Cellars Sonoma
Spring has sprung in Wine Country California. I had the pleasure of attending a Hands On Gourmet Private Cooking Party & Team Building Event at Jacuzzi Cellars in Sonoma Wine Country recently and meeting Executive Chef, Stephen Gibbs. And what a backdrop. From weddings, to corporate events to bachelorette parties… Jacuzzi Cellars in Sonoma County, most […]
Rustic Ambiance at Monti’s Santa Rosa Happy Hour
From the large wood-fired rotisserie, to the small or big bite plates featuring fresh local meats with seasonal produce, Monti’s Rotisserie & Bar in Santa Rosa has the true Wine Country comfort feel. Part of the Stark family of restaurants, Monti’s is a favorite of locals. In addition to Monti’s, Stark’s Reality Restaurants also owns Willis Wine Bar […]
Country Food with French Passion in Sonoma
With an ever changing seasonal menu, cheese & charcuterie platters that rock, and plenty of outdoor garden patio seating, you can guess that I’ve visited ‘the girl and the fig’ many a time before. A great stop for tourists and locals alike, Owner, Sondra Bernstein plates a fierce meal. The menu at the girl and the fig in […]
Interactive Lunch with Chef Todd English in Napa
How many chances does one get to cook in a kitchen as fabulous as the one at Culinary Institute of America? In my case…so far only one. It was memorable to say the least, however, and I very much plan to schedule another visit and cooking class at CIA Greystone in Napa, California. Microsoft’s Bing […]
Fire Baked Pizza & Wine in Napa at Redd Wood
I had passed through the beautiful courtyard outside Redd Wood Restaurant in Napa but hadn’t had the pleasure to visit until recently. Even from the outside, with the building’s floor to ceiling windows and brick-lined walks, Richard Reddington’s new dining room is sure to draw one’s attention. Boasted as ” a superbly stylish Italian-inspired eatery” and […]
French California Cuisine in SF at Jardiniere
As a lover of dining French style and also San Francisco, this girl has enjoyed a meal at Jardiniere before. When a friend visiting from Toronto mentioned wanting to enjoy food and wine in San Francisco, Jardiniere came to mind. Known for their French-California Cuisine I though it was a good fit for a visiting […]
Rosso Italian Pizzeria In Petaluma’s Theatre District
I had heard about how terrific Rosso Pizzeria was in Santa Rosa and visited last week with a friend to enjoy the fire baked oven pizzas and the extensive local wine list. It was a lovely meal. On the way into the restaurant we ran into friends and local Sonoma County celebrities Cinnamon Metcalfe and […]
Railroad Square Visiting Jackson’s Bar & Oven
Described by the Chef as “Wine Country Eats”, as a girl who eats in wine country quite often, I would agree. I’ve visited Jackson’s Bar & Oven in Santa Rosa a few times prior to this visit for cocktails and sipped a lovely rose water based drink to remember. The bartender at the Bar crafted […]
Best Restaurant In America Says Open Table
St Francis Winery & Vineyards has been a favorite stop of mine for some time. Not only do they pour a fierce glass of wine, but the landscaping, tasting room, staff & atmosphere are lovely. I had visited them in the Fall recently when the leaves are yellow and the backdrop of the mountains beyond […]
Santa Rosa’s Flipside has a Steakhouse
Being a local to Rincon Valley…I still miss the evenings when we would head down to Rincon Valley’s Rita’s and have a glass of wine served by the fun loving owner, Kevin. He now has a wonderful new spot downtown Santa Rosa, Sprenger’s Tap Room, if you have a chance , stop in and have […]
Sea Stands For ‘South East Asia’ At Sea Thai Bistro
I was introduced to Chef Tony Ounpamornchal when I joined one of his cooking classes at Sur La Table. He was demonstrating how to make his famous Chicken Galangal soup for us in an interactive cooking event. I was hooked. His chicken galangal soup in coconut milk broth with clamshell mushrooms, cherry tomato and shallots […]
Visit Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen Yes, Please.
Enjoying a glass (or two) of lovely Pinot Noir in Healdsburg on the Dry Creek Kitchen patio is a good way to start the week. Open 7 days a week, even Monday, a rarity in the foodie biz, Charlie Palmer’s restaurant is sure to please. On this particular Monday , we had opted for an […]
St Francis Knows His Food & Wine Pairings
Living only 15 minutes from the beauty of Mount Hood. Life is rough. Being able to enjoy it while sipping on a variety of lovely wines. Priceless. When walking through the mission style courtyard, a statue of St. Francis of Assisi points the way to the vineyards beyond. St Francis was a man who is […]
Celebrating Exquisite Local Food at Barndiva
My first visit to Barndiva was for happy hour cocktails on a Saturday afternoon. I remember someone remarking that Happy hour runs all day here on the weekends. My friend Steve & I had been wandering though the Downtown Art market that afternoon looking for a painting and had eaten tapas at Willi’s earlier that […]