Archive for August, 2009
View from the Fairfax-Bolinas Road looking down at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge with Mt. Diablo in the background.
In Tom Steinstra’s SF Chronicle column last week, he wrote about the Fairfax to Bolinas back road. As we have never driven it we decided to give it a go. Today promises to be a little cooler and, as we have been enjoying/suffering a period of hot weather over the last couple of weeks, it will be nice to get out into the fresh air. Let’s hope it gets a bit cooler during the night as it will be nice to get a decent night’s sleep for a change.
(Click on the images for larger versions)
We set Mollie, our GPS, for San Anselmo, where we intended to have breakfast. She was directing us to take Highway 101 but we decided to confound her and take Highway 280. To us, not only is it the most direct route to the Golden Gate Bridge but it is a better road and much more scenic. 101 is, after all, boring with lots of traffic and nothing to feast the eyes on apart from the dirigible hangers at Moffett Field. Whereas on 280 there is a wealth of interesting things to look out for. For a start there is the scenery – rolling hills, wooded hillsides, mountain ridges and Crystal Springs Lake. As for man made structures there is the Maryknoll Tower in Los Altos. On first sight it’s architecture looks Spanish Mission but on closer inspection you will find that the roof corners turn up a little which gives it an oriental look. Passing Standford University in Palo Alto there is the the two mile long linear accelarator tunnel which passes underneath 280 and the satellite dish on the top of a small rise. There is a hiking tail up to the dish but we haven’t done it yet. Between the Woodside and Edgewood Road exits there is the Runnymede Sculpture Farm. It is a privately owned estate which has over 150 outdoor sculptures, some of which can be seen from 280. I’ve spotted about five of them. Then between the Bunker Hill and Black Mountain Road exits there are two things to look for. If you are traveling towards San Francisco, watch out for the Flintstone or Bubble House as you cross the Eugene A. Doran Memorial Bridge on the right hand side. It used to be painted off white but is now terracotta red. The second object is the 26ft high statue of Father Junipero Serra, who is pointing westwards, created by Louis Dubois. Father Junipero Serra was a Spanish missionary who founded several of the Californian missions.
We leave 280 where it veers to the east and drive north along 19th Avenue through San Francisco. There are a lot of traffic lights between here and the Golden Gate Bridge bit it is interesting to note the flavor of the San Francisco architecture. At first the houses are mostly two stories high, with a garage on the ground floor, steps leading to the main entrance on the second floor which is next to a large picture window. None of the buildings have a front garden and some of them are maintained very nicely. Some, though, are not a very good shape at all. On the other side of Golden Gate Park, the houses are larger and set back from the road. No two buildings are alike.
Driving through the Gen. Douglas MacArthur tunnel, the anticipation of seeing the bridge in all its glory is electric. It doesn’t matter how many times
Looking down at a lake with Mt. Tam in the background
we cross the bridge it always gives us a thrill. Today though it was a little overcast – a typical summer day in San Francisco. We can see Alcatraz but not the top of Angel Island. The Bay Bridge and the city are bathed in light through a break in the cloud while everything else is shrouded in fog. As usual the joggers are out in force crossing the bridge on one side and cyclists on the other.
Once over the bridge and through the Rainbow Tunnel we look down on Sausalito and the ribbon of houseboats along the edge of the bay. We notice that the tide is out. In fact the seaplane which takes tourists over the city and which is normally afloat, was resting on mud.
With the infamous San Quentin State Prison in sight on our right, we turn left onto the Sir Francis Drake Blvd and drive through pleasant communities until we reach San Anselmo. After breakfast we continued on to Fairfax, which is were the back road began. The article mentioned the tricky connector to get onto Bolinas Road and we went slightly wrong. We missed the left hand turn onto Pacheco Avenue and took the next left, where we immediately turned left again and soon were able to turn right onto Bolinas Road.
The first part of the drive was through the outskirts of Fairfax but within no time at all we were out in the country and climbing. The whole length of the road is narrow with barely room for two lane of traffic. It is also very twisty with steep drop offs on our right. I was looking down into narrow valleys and on houses built precariously into the hillside. There were a lot of cyclists around. In fact, bikes outnumbered cars by about 50 to 1. Although they were pedaling uphill at a steady pace, their speed was only about 15 miles an hour. The curvy road and blind bends, along with the double yellow line down the middle of the road, made passing a risky business. To make matters worse, quite a few of the cyclists insisted on driving two abreast. But we were in no hurry so we only passed when it was safe to do so.
Along the way we passed the turn off to Lake Lagunitas and a little further the Center for Peace and Compassion. Tom’s comment was ‘welcome to Marin’. Marin County is avant-garde in the environmental movement and many ex hippies and wealthy commuters to San Francisco live here. I always get the impression that the air is cleaner here.
We catch a glimpse of Mount Tamalpais, or Mount Tam as it is affectionately known, in the distance and pass the entrance to the Meadow Club golf course on our left. Meadow Club was built in 1927 and was the first golf course designed in America.
The weather has improved greatly now we are not only north of the bridge but at a higher elevation. We stopped and parked on a large gravel shoulder at the top of the hill. Tom wanted to take some photos and I wanted to stretch my legs. There was an unmarked trail in front of us so Tom set up his camera on the tripod and we set off. The trail was a bit steep at first but worth the view a little later on. We both noticed a wonderful herby smell during our hike but just could not work out where it was coming from. It was great to be out walking on such a beautiful day, breathing in the good, fresh Marin air with nobody else in sight. Tom stopped to take photos and I carried on making my way to a large boulder via a side track up a small rise.
Occasionally I heard rustling in the undergrowth and caught sight of lizards darting out of the way. I tried to climb the boulder but decided it was just too high. Besides, I might have had trouble getting down. Nearby a found a smaller rock and sit down and scanned the view. In the distance I could see the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge partially covered by a finger of fog with Mount Diablo rising above it. On top of Mount Tam I could see the hut we climbed to in February 2008, when we witnessed a group of Mongolians celebrating their New Year.
Cyclists along Ridgecrest Blvd
It was so peaceful up there, gazing down on a couple of golfers at Meadow Club and listening to the hum of wasps investigating the skinny yellow flowers which proliferated at the moment. Tom caught up with me and set up his tripod and took lots of photos of Mount Tam and the Richmond Bridge. Then he climbed even higher and called out that he could see a lake. He thought it was Lake Lagunitas but looking at the map I think it was Alpine Lake. There was no clearly defined trail but by a dint of rock climbing I was able to join him. The view was breathtaking. Not only the sight of the sparkling blue lake surrounded by trees but also panoramic views. It felt like sitting on the top of the world but knew it wasn’t as Mount Tam is definitely higher.
Earlier, down where we parked the car, we overhead a couple of cyclist, who were taking a break, talking about the flies. At the time I did not know what they were talking about, but at the top of that hill I found out. The flies were continuously buzzing around and were most distracting. As far as biting me, I don’t think so but guess I will find out later.
I noticed a couple of concrete cylinders half buried in the soil, one with a stamp on the top which I couldn’t read. Tom found a plaque on a nearby boulder which had the mark of the Corps of Engineers, US Army on it. No elevation or date were noted on it.
We got back to the car and then continued our drive downhill towards Bolinas. We negotiated a horseshoe bend and soon were driving through redwoods. At first they were relatively small redwoods but further on we passed some larger specimens. We approached a dam and the road went across the top. It was difficult to negotiate our way across as it seemed to be a major meeting point for all the cyclists and there were several large groups straddled right across the roadway.
Beyond the dam there were several hairpin bends and soon we came to the junction with Ridgecrest Blvd. If we had carried straight on we would have arrived at Highway 1 and the small town of Bolinas but we turned south along the Ridgecrest. This is one of the most scenic roads in the area. On a clear day there are wonderful views over Bolinas, Bolinas Lagoon and the ocean but today, although we are in the sunshine, all below is covered in fog.
We pulled over to take some photos and discovered a wonderful little trail. It is the McKennan Gulch Trail and is only 0.12 miles long and very easy
Outlook at the end of McKennan Gulch Trail. It's a real easy stroll.
walking. There is marked parking for disabled drivers and the trail could easily be negotiated by a wheelchair. At the end is a stone seat. As we approached it I thought it was just a cairn of stones and was pleasantly surprised to find a very convenient place to sit and contemplate the view. Not that there was much of a view today but I can’t wait to come back here again on a clear day. I can see this becoming another of our ‘must take visitors to’ spots.
Back on the road again we drove to the end Ridgecrest Blvd. One word of warning, this road is only open during the hours of daylight and there are gates at both ends which presumably are closed at night. Our journey continued through Mill Valley to Highway 101, back over the bridge and home.
August 28 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
Bubba's Diner in San Anselmo, California
We were heading to Fairfax so, as usual, I checked the internet for somewhere to eat in the area. I came across a brilliant site called Anna’s Cool Finds with over 100 places to eat breakfast in Marin County. We were spoilt for choice but plopped for Bubba’s Diner in San Anselmo. The only other place we have had breakfast in San Anselmo is Easy Street Cafe in the Red Hill Shopping Center. I noticed it is not on Anna’s Cool Finds – I wonder why?
Our GPS got us to the right place and Tom and I were so surprised to find ourselves in downtown San Anselmo. We have always driven straight through and never realized such an interesting place existed just a stone’s throw from Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Lots of cool shops and several places to eat. Parking at just after 8 on a Saturday morning was readily available. As we walked towards Bubba’s Diner we could hear rather loud music which was coming from the diner but it was more subdued inside thank goodness.
The decor inside is red, white and the occasional black tile and the booths are bright red. It is your typical American diner but not very big at all. There are eight stools at the counter; one big booth in the window, four booths seating four people; two tables and chairs inside and two outside on the sidewalk. There was a sign up sheet just inside and a sign saying ‘Please wait to be seated’. but as there were very few customers, the server told us to sit where wherever we wanted. We chose a booth with a sign saying it was ‘Alex and Jean’s Booth’. It was supposed to be for four people but it would be a tight squeeze. Tom and I played footsie under the table the whole time.
The menu is adequate and there is a sheet of specials. Tom chose the Chorizo Y Huevos Scramble from the specials list for $12.95. No oatmeal at all so I chose the large bowl of fresh fruit for $6.95 plus a round of toast for $1.50. Tom had coffee, which he said was very good by the way, and I just had the water.
Each table was equipped with a wide range of condiments. Apart from the sugar – both package and pourable, the bowl of half and half milk cartons, Heinz tomato ketchup, Heinz pourable mustard and the cartons of preserves, there were 3 Beaver mustards – Deli, Sweet Hot and Jalapeno, plus a Beaver Cream Horseradish.
The walls are covered with several old coca cola signs but predominantly with all manner of adverts with Bubba in the title including two framed T-shirts, one from Bubbs’ Pub in Palm Springs and one from Bubba’s Used Cars in Islanton, South Carolina. Just over Tom’s shoulder I could see a framed photo of a sign from South Georgia saying ‘Elect H M “Bubba” Roberts Sheriff”.
Tom’s chorizo scramble came with home fries, fresh salsa and guacamole with corn tortillas on the side. The server also brought three different bottles of hot sauces. They obviously go for hot spicy food here. I was a bit disappointed with my fresh fruit. I’m sure it was fresh but it was not the crisp, clean slices or segments with bright purple grapes I was expecting. To me it looked wet and mushy. It wasn’t very colorful either with its cubes of water melon, pineapple, mango and papya. Some of the bits were very small as well. It tasted OK though.
To get to the restroom you have to walk through the prep area. I did not have high expectations of the facilities but was very pleasantly surprised. It was clean and functional but the items hanging on the wall made this a special place. Two were dedicated to the Statue of Liberty plus there was a cookie tin with the top of the Statue of Liberty embossed on the bottom of each hole. There was a cartoon strip about someone with bad breath and two notices – one forbidding spitting and the other advertising for grape stompers but they must have large feet and good balance. My favorite though was a Gail Goodwin poster of five kids sitting in a diner booth and, guess what, the diner is Bubba’s. One other sign which caused me to come away with a smile on my face and this I almost missed. It was on the top of the paper towel dispenser and it said more or less (I didn’t have my notebook with me so I’m not a hundred percent certain that I’ve remembered it correctly) ‘All employees, even if you are considering becoming an employee of Bubba’s or a family member of an employee of Bubba’s or dating an employee of Bubba’s, must wash their hands. Everybody else can decide for themselves.’ Definitely an amusing visit.
Now for the verdict. The food was tasty, though the appearance of mine was disappointing and the prices were a bit steep but the coffee was good. Service perfectly acceptable and surroundings pleasing. Would we come here again? Probably.
Bubba’s Diner
566 San Anselmo Ave
San Anselmo CA 94960
August 24 2009 | Breakfast Log | 1 Comment »
Enough of the wine tasting for now. After tasting over 20 different wines, it was time to move on to Fair Play.
View from our room at the Barkley Historic Homestead Bed and Breakfast
We drove down Mt. Aukum Road towards Fair Play. On the way, at the intersection of Grizzly Flat Road and Bucks Bar Road, we spotted the Gold Vine Grill. This was one of the places Jolaine suggested for an evening meal. We stopped to look at the menu but it only showed the choices for lunch so we went inside to ask if we could see the dinner menu. They were only too pleased to do so. The lady we spoke to was very friendly and said her husband was the chef and he prepared amazing sauces. The menu did look good but we haven’t not made up our minds yet.
Further on, at the junction of Fair Play Road and Perry Creek Road, we spotted the Italian restaurant Bocconato, which was another suggestion by Jolaine. The menu also looked good. We decided to book here as it is closer to where we are staying.
We continued on Fair Play Road, passing lots of wineries. They all looked interesting and the names were enticing – Granite Springs, Single Leaf and Fitzpatrick. We passed a sign telling us we were in Fair Play but, as I expected and Jolaine confirmed, there is no main street. There are a few businesses scattered around but no central focus. It did not detract from the charm of the setting though.
Our destination is the Barkley Historic Homestead Bed and Breakfast which is on Stony Creek Road. A short drive down this road brought us to a sign proclaiming we had arrived at the right place. We drove through the gate, passed a small lake complete with lily pads, a small landing stage and a couple of boats, and arrived at a small tasting room. This is where we were told to check in. As we walked through the door, we were greeted by a man who asked if we were there for the wine tasting or the Poker Run. I knew there was going to be a poker run because the owner phoned the night before to confirm our booking and asked if we had signed up to take part. Now I had no idea what a Poker Run was and assumed it was a big poker game and envisioned a host of people in one room playing poker continuously all weekend. Tom, on the other hand, thought it was an actual race. Neither option appealed to us, so we declined. We now learned that a Poker Run is something completely different. It cost $90 per person. You visit 8 different participating wineries where you are given a bottle of wine and a poker card. At the end of the run you have accumulated eight bottles of wine and 8 poker cards. There is a dinner where everyone opens their poker cards and presumably the best hand wins a further prize. Maybe if we had known what a Poker Run was, we would have signed up for it. At least we know for the future.
We were shown to our room by the owner’s daughter. She was born and brought up in Gilroy, which is about 20 miles south of where we live in South San Jose. Small world. To get to the room, we walked up a small hill and then steps to a veranda. There were another couple of rooms off the same veranda. Our room was called the Winemaker’s Room and was large with rustic overtones. Outside on the veranda were a table, two chairs and an umbrella but we had our own small balcony off the side of the room with two wicker chairs and a table plus a view of the lake. It looked a great place to sit out later and watch the sun go down.
I sat outside on the front deck under the umbrella and wrote up my journal. It was so peaceful, with just the tinkling sound of a small fountain nearby and occasionally the calming tones of a wind chime in the soft gentle breeze. I looked down to the lake and off to my right I could see a wooded hillside in the distance. A golden retriever ambled up to me to say hello and then settled at my feet for a five minute rest. Utter tranquility.
At 6, we drove to Bocconato for dinner. There were several groups sitting outside under the umbrellas but we decided to sit inside. Nobody else was sitting inside so we had a choice of tables and during the meal we realized it wasn’t the best choice. We were right next to the door leading to the outside patio so the servers were going to and fro constantly. Also, a couple of flies got inside and made a nuisance of themselves. We were forever swatting them out of our faces. Tom dispatched one pretty smartly with his napkin but the other evaded Tom’s most determined efforts.
To eat we both chose the two appetizer specials. Tom had brushetta with chopped heirloom tomatoes, onion, capers and cheese and I had the Caprese – slices of mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, olive oil and basil. To drink we had a Zinfandel from the nearby Perry Creek Winery. For our main course we both had the same – chicken cooked slowly in wine and served on polenta. The starters were good, both made with locally grown tomatoes and very tasty, but we were a bit disappointed with our entrees. We were expecting the polenta to be firm but it turned out to by runny and the two pieces of chicken on top were sinking into the middle of it. It was difficult to eat with a knife and fork. The chicken was very tasty but we were not impressed with the polenta. Although it had the wine broth in which the chicken had been cooked in, it was sort of bland. Plus we should have ordered a side of vegetables to go with it. We both had deserts. Tom’s choice was a chocolate tortini with an ‘equisite lava’ inside. I had the green grape gelata. They make fresh gelata every day. Apart from the polenta and the flies, we had a very enjoyable meal.
Back to the Barkley Homestead where we we sat on our side balcony and watched the sun go down and then had an early night.
Next morning, after a peaceful nights sleep, we were up at 6.30. Yesterday we were told that the track running behind the house is the old Fair Play Road and the stage coach used to drive along it. As breakfast was not until 9.15, we decided to go for a hike on the old road.
The view at the top of the hill during our early morning hike
There was nobody else around and very quiet as we set off. Soon the road branched and we didn’t know which way to go so we took the uphill route, hoping to get a good view. The road was very rutted probably caused by heavy winter rains. Grape vines were growing on our right and we passed a dilapidated structure on our left which was probably once used to house some sort of animal. At the top of a rise we came upon a small lake, which obviously had fish in it as we saw bubbles and small ripples. Then we came to a gate and realized that we had taken the wrong road.
Back down the hill we went and at one point had a marvelous view over a small valley. At the bottom we took a right. Surely this must be the old stage coach road. I spotted some bramble bushes and stopped to check out the blackberries. Boy, they were good. For the next twenty minutes we picked and ate to our hearts’ content. I ventured too far into the bushes and got snagged on the brambles. Fortunately Tom was there to rescue me. If I’d known there were blackberries to be picked I would have worn jeans. Shorts did not protect my legs from the wicked barbs. When I finally stopped gorging, I looked at my hands and they were stained purple but I’d had the time of my life.
On with the walk Margaret. We passed an old picnic site with a large BBQ pit and even a smaller one with a spit but it must be years since either were used. Nearby was a little wooden bridge which had become really overgrown with vegetation and didn’t seem to lead anywhere.
Once again we came to a fork and did not know which way to go. We found out later that we should have turned left but we didn’t and finally ended up back where we’d started.
We went back to our room and made a cup of coffee. Still an hour to breakfast so we sat out on our private deck, looking over the lake and drank our
Dead give away. Margaret has been eating black berries. And plenty of them too
coffee. It’s going to be another warm day and it was wonderful to sit there and watch the birds. On the lake, a couple of ducks were ducking and diving. They constantly dipped their heads into the water and stuck their bottoms up in the air. A blue jay started squawking and landed on a tree near us. The birds we spent most of the time observing were a family of woodpeckers – the parents and I’m guessing three fledglings. They kept flying between a huge pine tree and a power pole. The young were vying for position at the top of the pole and tapping into the wood. Sometimes they flew over our heads and we watched their flap, flap, glide mode of flight.
To the sides of the balcony were apple trees and one of them had branches that were within reach. They were loaded with little apples. I couldn’t resist picking one and biting into it but it was not quite ready. Another week and they could be picked and, along with the blackberries, they would make a wonderful blackberry and apple crumble.
Eventually it was time for breakfast and we walked a few steps from our room along the veranda to the big dining room where we met up with the other guests – a group of four from Sparks in Nevada and another four who arrived just as we were leaving. They had been out until the early hours of this morning at the Perry Creek Winery for a special ‘Find the Zin Man’ dinner.
For breakfast, we had fresh fruit – water melon, melon, canteloup, bananas, grapes and strawberries; followed by scrambled eggs with bacon and fried potatoes. Coffee and orange juice were available to drink and we could toast our own bread or bagels. All very enjoyable.
Time to settle up and drive home. We have had a wonderful two days in El Dorado Wine Country and if you are bored with the much visited Napa wine region, branch out and sample the multitude of family run wineries in this tucked away little gem.
August 22 2009 | Special Places | 4 Comments »
Old gas station where gas was showing at $.40 a gallon
We waddled out of Zachary Jacques and continued on Pleasant Valley Road. It was indeed a very pleasant valley. Shady pine trees line the road with an occasional redwood. Every so often we passed nice houses nestled amongst the trees or perched on small rises with pastures surrounding them. Goats and horses grazed in the fields.
We saw an old gas station on our right. Tom pulled in, unable to resist this photo op. While Tom pottered around the outside and even ventured inside the old building, I sat in the car with the windows down and studied my surroundings. Next door to the gas station is a property set some way back with a long drive leading to it. The sign at the roadside said ‘Four Seasons’. I watched as a quad bike, driven by a man with his small daughter sitting beside him, drove down from the house. There as a trailer attached with a re-cycling bin inside. The bike stopped and the man and his daughter opened their mail box and the little girl ran back to the vehicle clutching a pile of letters. All very pastoral and idyllic. When no cars drove past, I could hear muted birdsong around me. It was very pleasant sitting there, feeling the soft breeze blowing through the windows and enjoying the moment.
(click on the photos for larger versions)
We were in the El Dorado Wine Country and on the lookout for our first winery – Narrow Gate. Once past Newton Road,we looked for the sign and before too long we spotted it and turned right, through a gate and up a steep slope to the car park. There were a few other cars in the car park so we knew we weren’t the first. Inside the light was quite dim and we could see lots of wine barrels. Before we made our way to the counter we looked at the paintings and one photograph which were on sale.
We managed to find a space at the counter and the winemaker’s wife, Teena Hildebrand, greeted us. She was very friendly and soon we were tasting our first wine – Chardonnay El Dorado. Then we sampled the Mourverde, which was a varietal we had never heard of. Tom’s favorite was the 2007 Petite Curvee at $17 a bottle but we didn’t buy any. It was getting really crowded at the counter and twice we had to squeeze up to allow more people to sample the wine.
I do not have a head for wine at all so I just limited myself to one small mouthful of each wine. In the past I have been quite merry after trying just half a dozen wines. Also I prefer white so tend to stay away from the reds altogether. Note from Tom: The trick is to only take a small sip or two, slosh it around your mouth to get a good idea of what the wine is about and then dump the rest. Otherwise you’d be sloshed in a short time.
We moved on to our next winery. Studying the map we saw that there were two not far away on the same side road. We turned onto Leisure Lane and
A rose bush was planted at the beginning of each row.
drove about a mile. On the way we passed under a power cable and I noticed an owl perched on the wire. Unfortunately Tom didn’t catch sight of it. Maybe it will still be there on our way back.
Our second winery - Holly’s Hill - was in a beautiful setting. They were in the middle of building works and a sign apologized for the dust during the remodeling. A tent had been set up outside the tasting room and we found out when we went into the tasting room that they were holding their Patriarche Verital Tasting where, for $5, you could sample their flagship wine from 2002-2008. The 2007-2008 are not on sale yet but they could be bought as ‘futures’. The entrance fee also included appetizers.
The tasting room at Holly’s Hill was bright and uncluttered. Wine barrels supported the counter and,as it was not very crowded, there was plenty of space and we didn’t feel cramped at all. The two guys pouring the wines gave us a lot of information about the Rhone grapes grown in this area. It is a European grape originating from the Rhone region of France. We sampled the 2008 Viognier ($18), the 2005 Hill Top Syrah ($20), the 2007 Grenarche Noir ($20) and their 2006 Patriarche ($20). I particularly like the Viognier so we bought two bottles plus one bottle of 2006 Patriarche. We were recommended to leave the Patiarche for a couple of years in a cool dark place before we drank it.
Outside again, I went to the small picnic area and drank in the wonderful view over the Cosumnes River Canyons. I could have stayed there admiring the view but there were more wineries to visit.
A stone’s throw away is the Sierra Vista Vineyard and Winery which is at the top of a steep hill. They also had and tent and an event going on but this was called a Barrel Tasting. Entrance fee the same as Holly’s Hill. Once again we only went into the tasting room. Here was another counter supported by wine barrels behind which was a very nice lady who chatted away about the winery and the Barrel Tasting. There were over ten wines to taste but we restricted ourselves to only seven of them. I won’t list all the ones we tried but I will tell you that we bought three bottles – one of the 2006 Reeves Vineyard Zinfandel ($18), one of the 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($22) and a late harvest 2006 Viognier Doux. The last one was not on the tasting list and we can’t remember how much it cost – I just know it tasted great.
Vineyard at the Sierra Vista Vineyard and Winery
We spent some time outside where there was a lawn area complete with picnic tables. Another spectacular view greeted us – the Crystal Range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains as a backdrop, with rows of ripening grapes in the middle and flower beds in the foreground. It was very peaceful up there, sitting at a picnic table in the shade of an oak tree, writing my journal and breathing in the fresh air, listening to the drone of conversations from surrounding tables and enjoying the view. Tom, of course, was wandering round the vineyard taking photos.
The three wineries we have visited so far have been similar in many ways – small family run and friendly. We have learnt a lot about the Rhone grapes that are prevalent to this area and enjoyed tasting many different wines. I think we only have the stamina to try one more winery so we made our way back to the car and drove back down Leisure Lane. I did look out for the owl but he was gone. There was a Red Kite though sitting on the very same power cable.
Our fourth and last winery in Pleasant Valley was the Miraflores Winery on Four Springs Trail. There were quite a few people up at the counter so we were prepared to wait but there was a bench counter where we were invited to stand and sample the wines. The wines on offer were written up on a blackboard and once again there were a lot of them. By this time I was all wined out so declined to try any of them but Tom masterfully sampled eight of them. There were not that many up on the board but he was encouraged to taste some which were not listed. Tom liked the Syrah best of all and we added another two bottles to the six we have already bought – a 2005 Syrah ($30) and a 2005 Syrah ($25).
It was time to find our bed and breakfast accommodation for the night. We thoroughly enjoyed our day of wine tasting in Pleasant Valley and recommend everyone to visit this little gem in the El Dorado Wine Country.
August 17 2009 | Special Places | 2 Comments »
Old Building in Ione. Obviously the Coke sign was there before the window.
We’re off on another trip to the Gold Country, this time to the El Dorado wine region. Originally we were planning a day trip but as El Dorado is further than our normal destination in the Gold Country, we decided to make a weekend of it and booked overnight accommodation at a bed and breakfast.
After our recent trip to Murphys and Mokelumne Hill, we had a comment from Jolaine Collins extolling the El Dorado area in and around Placerville and Fair Play. I have been through Placerville several times quite a few years ago but never realized it was also a wine area. Fair Play neither Tom nor I had ever heard of. The place name itself intrigued me but when I searched for more information I could not discover too much about it apart from the fact that there were several wineries situated there.
Jolaine sent us a link to the El Dorado Wine Country which gave me a list of wineries and their opening times along with a down loadable map of the area. We pored over the map and consulted the wineries list and decided to leave early in the morning on Saturday going first to the Pleasant Valley are where all four of the wineries opened at 10 am instead of the usual 11 am. We wrote to Jolaine and told her our plans, including stopping for breakfast on the way, and she kindly sent back lots of useful information along with the name of a place to go for breakfast.
An hour into our journey at 6.45 in the morning we were on I-205 and approaching Tracy. It’s going to be a nice day. The sun, which 15 minutes ago had popped up over the Altamont as a bright orange ball, is now shining into our eyes. Sunglasses on and visors down. Ahead we spot a small plane fly low over the freeway, bank steeply and fly back. It was a crop duster. By the time we reached the point of his crossing, he was back again seemingly inches above the roof of the car. It was definitely a ‘wooh’ moment.
I-5 was as monotonous as usual. Lots of SUVs and trucks pulling small boats, jet skies and trailers, probably on their way to one of the many lakes dotted around. On Highway 88, just outside Stockton, we stopped at a Starbucks for coffee. Tom had a muffin as well. He was getting hungry and it is over an hour to where we plan to stop for breakfast. Unlike the last time, when we stopped in Copperopolis looking for somewhere to eat and failing miserably, we knew exactly where we are going today – Zachary Jacques in Pleasant Valley.
Highway 88 is a two lane road through the Central Valley. We were heading towards Jackson (the same Jackson as Nancy Sinatra sang about I wonder?) on Highway 49. Our route takes us through orchards and Tom remarked on the fact that although the trees were all the same, some of them were tall and some were short. It looks like the tall trees had not been cut back but the short ones obviously had. We wondered why. Oleander bushes were in full bloom and lined both sides of the road at one point. Just before the Harney Road intersection I spotted a peahen standing motionless at the side of the road.
Along Highway 88 grapes, apples, and a host of other fruits and vegetables grow profusely. Fruit stands are abundent, selling strawberries, corn, applies, cherries, blackberries, apricots and blueberries – all grown locally. As we drove through Lockeford, I noticed that the Lockeford Meat Service (good sausages) in the center of town was not open yet. Just north of Clements we bear left, still on Highway 88, and for me this is new territory.
Suddenly we are no longer on the valley floor but steadily ascending towards the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range of mountains. The land has become more open and hilly. the orchards and vineyards are no more to be seen.
I see a sign advertising the Black Chasm just outside Volcano. My daughter Ginnie and I visited this cave a few years back and it was great fun. Near the Black Chasm is Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park which Tom and I visited once. Both places are worth a visit.
According to the map, the Camanche Reservoir was off to our right but I see no sign of it. I see a road sign pointing towards it with the brown symbols showing that fishing and boating can be enjoyed there.
We enter the town of Ione. How is that pronounced – I-one, I-on or I-own – I wonder? Tom says it is I-own so I’ll bow to his superior knowledge. The town looked interesting so we decided to stop and stretch our legs. The main street is wide with lots of parking places. There is a wide covered sidewalk on one side of the road and the buildings are all evocotive of the heady gold rush days.
Right behind the Ione City Hall, which was originally a hotel built in 1864, an old railway steam locomotive stands under cover and behind a high barred fence which is difficult to look through, Tom couldn’t even take a photo of the train. A sign to the right of it proclaims it to be ‘Iron Van’ which was ‘the last steam locomotive to operate over the Amador Central Railroad between Ione and Martell. …….The last trip………was made in 1956.’
It is just 8.30 in the morning and there were very few people around and certainly nothing was open. We took a stroll up one side and down the other to see what there was to see.
In the C&P Tax Service window were some old typewriters and adding machines. One was an Underwood, which looked just like the one my Dad used back in the 1960′s and on which I learned to type. Memories, memories.
Old gas station in Pleasant Valley on the way to breakfast. The pumps still showed gas at $.40 a gallon
The library is housed in the Ione Parlor No 33 N.S.G.W. building which was built in 1854. This builidng is two stories hight with a balcony on the second floor.
On one corner of Main Street is an old brick building with a faded Coca Cola sign painted on the side. A door and a window have been built into the wall which partialy obliterate the sign. On the wall of the building opposite are some large , bright paintings of annual events in Ione – the Soapbox Derby, Fireworks in Howard Park, Pumpkin Patch at Winterport Farm and Home Town Christmas.
A sign on the front of 18 Main Street declares the building to be the Daniel Co Store built in 1856. this was the first brick building erected in the Ione Valley. The sign goes on to say that Ione was once known as “Bed-bug” and “Freeze-out”. That conjures up a pretty picture doesn’t it?
Time to move on. We are both more than ready for breakfast but we still have some way to go. We left town on Highway 124, which is the Plymouth Highway, and the road climbed upwards. The brown hills on either side became higher but we had occasional views to the even higher hills ahead of us. No sign yet of the majestic peaks of the high Sierra, which will grace the skyline shortly.
At 9 am we reach Highway 49, the scienic route through the Gold Country and the historic gold rush towns from Oakhurst in the south to Vinton on Highway 70 to the north.
When we reached those higher hills, the road began to twist and turn and there were steep drop offs to my right. Our ears started to pop. A convoy of motor bikes passed us, heading south. And there, to the left of us, we caught sight of those high mountain peaks.
Just south of Diamond Springs we drive through the small town of El Dorado. This little hamlet must be the county seat of El Dorado county. I checked a map of the counties of California and was surprised to see that this county is bigger than I though it would be. It stretches all the way to the stateline with Nevada.
At 9.30 we finally reach Zachary Jacques and at last we get to eat.
August 14 2009 | Special Places | 1 Comment »
Zachary Jacques in Pleasant Valley (Placerville), California
Mollie, our GPS, let us down at the last minute. Normally she gives us due warning that our destination is coming up, but not this time. We were right on top of Zachary Jacques when she said ‘destination on the left’ and we sailed right past. For the next mile we searched in vain for somewhere to turn around and eventually found a suitable place.
The restaurant is set a little back from the road with parking on a steep incline at the road side. A couple of tall pine trees stand in front. The exterior of the restaurant looks pleasing and rustic with a large metal rooster to the left of the font door. The chef owner is John Evans
The interior is fairly dark with low light. They also serve lunch and dinner here so I’m guessing it will be quite romantic later on in the day. We waited a few moments to be seated and were shown to our table by the window. It is a nice, comfortable place with a long, low padded seat to the left. The tables are made of a dark varnished wood and the chairs have padded seats. Draped net curtains adorn the sides of the windows and hanging lacy curtains cover the top half of the windows. Enya plays softly in the background – my favorite type of music but not Tom’s cup of tea.
Our server is very helpful and extremely cheerful. Tom and I studied the menu carefully. There was no oatmeal on offer but everything did look tempting. Tom ordered Duck Confit which was described as ‘duck with eggs and crispy potatoes’ ($11.50). He also ordered free range eggs for an extra $1. I strayed a long way from the straight an narrow and ordered Coconut Macadamia Nut French Toast, described as fresh baked macadamia bread dipped in coconut custard, garnished with coconut syrup and toasted macadamia nuts for $6.95. What the heck, I’m on (a mini) vacation.
Now for the decor. Around the walls were large paintings – one of a courtyard and garden, one a landscape with trees and a third of a couple sitting in a cafe with a large window behind them. There were a couple of smaller paintings as well. One right above my let shoulder was of a vineyard scene Behind me was a glass panel with raised purple grapes and green leaves across the top and down the sides. In the far corner was a dresser with ceramic jugs and other things I couldn’t quite make out from where I sat.
We were both really impressed with the food and the way it was presented. On Tom’s plate was a delicious looking piece of duck with a crusted outside two large pieces of herb roasted potatoes, a thick slice of toasted bread and two fried eggs which looked just how he liked them – over medium. My French bread was on a plate decorated with a swirl of raspberry coulis, two small slices of both oranges and apples. There were three thick pieces of nutty macadamia bread, butter with bits of macadamia nuts inside and s mall stainless steel bowl with the coconut syrup. It looked too good to eat.
But eat it I did and it was delicious. Decidedly decadent though and I dread to think of the calories I have just overloaded my body with but it was worth it. So, Tom, how was yours?
Mine was great. Duck is something you don’t have for breakfast everyday that’s for sure. I wish I had had some of their coffee but we stopped at a Starbucks in Stockton on the way up.
Of course I paid my usual visit to the restroom and it was better than a lot I’ve been in. The walls were sponge painted with a beige base and gold on top. There were four framed pictures which were all tapestries with a definite French feel about them, two featured couples in 17th century costumes, one was of a French chateau and the fourth and largest looked like Napoleon Bonaparte and the Empress Josephine. Over the sinks were two oval mirrors with silver frames.
I must say, we both really enjoyed our breakfast at Zachery Jacques. It was well worth the long drive. Would love to come back some time and try and few more items from the menu. It’s such a pity that it is such a long way from home. If you are within 100 miles, you really should try it out.
Zachary Jacques
1821 Pleasant Valley Road
Placerville, CA 95667
August 10 2009 | Breakfast Log | 2 Comments »
Heading down the trail to Franklin Point. This photo looks back towards Highway 1.
After stopping for breakfast in Santa Cruz, we set off for our favorite spot on the coast – Franklin Point. When we left San Jose just before 7, the temperature was already 77 degrees and it looked like it was going to be another hot one. What we needed was to cool off at the coast. We were expecting it to be a little foggy and in fact there was a sign on Highway 17 which said to watch out for fog ahead but as we reached the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains there was no fog and in fact there was still none in sight as we approached Santa Cruz. It was a different story though when we left Santa Cruz to headed up the coast. First of all it was just a little foggy but it cleared around Davenport, only to appear again as we approached Ano Nuevo. That’s the trouble with fog, you never know where it is going to be exactly.
Franklin Point was not too bad actually. As we got out of the car there was a stiff breeze so we donned our jackets. There were no other cars parked by the tree stump but ahead of us on the trail we could see another couple walking towards the beach. The trail is only half a mile long to the beach. I strode ahead so Tom could take his time to stop along the way and take photos.
It has been nearly a year since our last visit and I was looking forward to sitting on my favorite bench. The trail has been modified since then.
Click on this photo for a larger version and you'll be able to see our favorite bench at Franklin Point
The first modification was man made. About two thirds of the way along it used to get very wet and muddy in the winter and on occasions the trail has been impassable at this point. A few years ago small logs were put down over the worst section to form a pathway but over time they have either been burried of have disappeared. A raised boardwalk has now been constructed, which will make it possible to walk to the beach every day of the year. The second modification to the trail was natural. Due to shifting sand, the trail itself has been altered nearer the beach.
When I arrived at the beach, I took my time to absorb the scene, taking deep breaths to fill my lungs with the fresh air. The only people in sight were the couple who I had seen earlier and they were making a beeline for the bench, which was clearly visible half a mile away up on the point. But they only stopped a few seconds and did not even sit down before they turned away and carried on walking south. Such a pity. It might be blowing up there but five minutes rest on the bench would have set them up for the day.
I didn’t head for the bench straightaway but walked on past for about half a mile, just to see what I could see. I stopped to look down into a little cove and spotted a huge pink starfish clinging to a rock. The path at this point was perilously close to the edge of the cliff.
Turning back, I retraced my steps to the point where a boardwalk leads to the bench. Last time I remarked how the boardwalk itself was beginning to deteriorate. This time I noticed how some of the metal poles were very rusty and a few have corroded to the point where the metal is very flaky. I won’t be surprised if on my next visit some of them will have rusted through completely.
Looking out at Franklin Point from our favorite bench at our favorite place along the San Mateo Coast.
Eventually I arrived at my bench. OK, it was windy. As I wrote I had to hold down the pages of my journal with the other hand, but I’m not complaining. The sound of the waves coming in and going out and the surf breaking over the rocks was soothing. The smell of the ocean was invigorating – all those negative ions working their magic. On top of all that, I could taste the brine on my lips. The fog was thicker out to sea and I could not see Pigeon Point Lighthouse off to my right. I knew it was there but the light was not even visible.
Normally we see a lot of pelicans flying low around this point and Tom waits patiently for them to arrive. You have no warning at all that they are coming. Suddenly they appear, gliding in formation and skimming the waves. But today we were out of luck. We saw lots of gulls and cormorants sitting out on the rocks but not one pelican.
As we sat there, contemplating life and the future; glorying in the scenery and the cool breezes, the sun began to warm our backs. Ironically the fog seemed to be getting thicker off the coast. Eventually we both took a deep sigh, turned our backs on the ocean and headed back to the heat of the Santa Clara Valley.
August 02 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
