Paris in California

Song - Under Paris Skies by Lee Terry Meisinger



Mr. B and I didn't have much planned for Memorial Day Weekend.....but he did take me out on Friday night to a local French restaurant in Lafayette - Reve Bistro.  As we have gotten older we are tending to stay home most nights, especially me.  So Friday night was a fun and delicious adventure!

And on Sunday we decided to head up to Sonoma to go to the Paris Flea Market at Cornerstone and sponsored by Chateau Sonoma. It was a little cloudy and drizzly outside but we were ready for an adventure.

The vineyards were full of fresh new growth and we found lot's of people who had nothing to do on this three day weekend deciding to go up to the wine country!

There were lots of venders there as well as several places to eat.

Mr. B spotted this beautiful window? adornment? well whatever it was, it was beautiful!

I learned how to get the French Bistro look.....

The French Sonoma Peloton......

And under one of the "big tops" were some beautiful antiques....

There was a Frenchman singing and playing an antique card fed music box filled with French tunes!  It certainly added to the atmosphere and was fun too!

The rain held out while we enjoyed a glass of Rose, the gardens, the music and the antiques.

The Clematis was especially stunning growing over the walls...

The flea market was on the outskirts of town and we decided to head into Sonoma for some lunch at The Girl and the Fig.  By the time we arrived, so did the rain.  There was no outdoor seating and the inside of the restaurant was packed......so was every other restaurant there!  Mr. B found out that besides it being a three day weekend, Bottlerock was happening in the Napa Valley. We left Sonoma in a downpour and headed towards home.....

Mr. B missed our turn off of the freeway and we decided to take a different route.  We ended up in Crockett at The Dead Fish which was perfect.  We sat in the bar area at a table next to the big windows looking out over the Carquinez Straights. Great timing, perfect atmosphere and yummy food.

On a warm day, it's nice to sit outside and enjoy the train blowing it's whistle just a few feet below you as Amtrak rolls by.

Nice weekend all around....hope yours was as well.....

A Birthday Surprise

Song - A Little Help From My Friends by Paul McCartney and Ringo Star

This is my dear friend Jill, who's birthday we celebrated on Saturday.  I knew 2 months ago what I wanted to plan to celebrate but I wanted to keep it a surprise.  So I asked her to reserved the entire day from 9:30 until midnight for me.  I had a car full of blankets, towels, ice chest and 6 special cards.  In each card I placed a "clue" as to what we were going to do in the evening.  And at the final card she needed to unscramble 5 letters and 1 word.  Easy right?

First card - GO

Second - a star

Third - just a funny note about going to a field to watch the stars

Fourth - IN

Fifth - R

Sixth - a more serious card about all of the fun times we have had over our many years of friendship

We went to the beach at Point Reyes first. It was windy but we found a little area in the dunes where we could spread the blanket and be sheltered from the wind.  At this point Jill just had the first two cards - GO STAR

I explained to her that something special was happening that evening with the stars.  I feigned shock that she wasn't aware of the celestial excitement for that evening.  I told her that we would be in a big field watching the stars. TRUTH!

I had made lunch reservations at Nick's Cove on Tomales Bay so she received the next 2 cards there.

I made sure that I had picked out some very mature cards for my sensitive friend!


She now had Clues 1-4......GO STAR IN......and she didn't have a clue as to the answer......the suspense was killing her!  If you know Jill, she is always pulling a rabbit out of her hat so it was fun for me to have the tables turned for a change!

The water was crazy-rough out on the bay while we walked out to the little party shed on the end of the dock.

 We found some shelter behind the building and a lovely couple offered to take our photo.

Here I gave her the "R" card and I thought for sure she would put it all together at that point. Nope.  She is a brilliant nurse and could not unscramble 5 letters....mmm.....early onset dementia perhaps?


As we headed over the hills inland to Sonoma I decided to give her the last card and an extra obvious surprise clue.  Just that morning I had made a CD of this star's songs which I played for her but she just couldn't get past the order she had opened the cards in - GO STAR IN R........

She is singing along with all of the songs from the CD and chatting about how much she would like us to go see this performer the next time he tours California.  We are 3 blocks from the venue and I am thinking that she will soon see a poster or sign for the concert.

So I ask her to please try unscrambling the letters again.......and tears came to her eyes.....I knew she had figured it out at last.

Here we are in Sonoma at The Field of Dreams seeing Ringo Starr......

Those are Ringo's drums in the back with the STAR on them.  In the front is the opening act Pablo Cruz's drums.

Pablo Cruz was fun but it was all about Ringo and His All Star Band tonight (see I told you we would be in a field with star's!)

The sun had set and the lights came on!  Here he comes.....

They played a lot of Ringo's songs but each of the band members is a star in their own right so a lot of other songs where enjoyed.  Ringo is very generous in sharing the spotlight.

Look at those hands fly over his drum set!!!!

Oh, oh......I think he spied me taking photo's with my telephoto lens.....doesn't look too happy.

Yup, looking directly at me.




Me and thousands of other fans taking photos!!!!

Yes, Ringo is a little corny but sometimes we all need corny in our lives.  He was an important musician when I was young so I hold a special place in my heart for each of the Beatles.

Thanks Ringo for the great concert and thanks Jill for the many years of friendship!

from the Jumbo-tron

And remember....

Quote for the day: