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.....

Sipping on Saturday

Song - Little 'Ol Wine Drinker, Me by Dean Martin

My friend Jill brought me up to Calistoga for my Christmas gift yesterday.  We had a beautiful drive up there, the weather was gorgeous and then we ate lunch at a yummy Thai restaurant downtown.  After lunch we went into some of the shops along main street.  And you won't believe it but they have a real live bookstore that's still in business!

We headed on down the Silverado Trail to visit one of my favorite wineries - Frank Family!

It's a tad expensive but when I want to splurge on occasion - this my go to wine! The guy (Saul) who was pouring our tastings said that I looked familiar.  We finally figured out that he worked at Chimney Rock Winery when my artist friends from BASA and I had a nine month show up there!

It was a beautiful day in the country with my beautiful friend!  

Thanks Jill.  

We need to celebrate Christmas more often!!!

"Each friend represents a world in us, 

a world not born until they arrive, 

and it is only by this meeting 

that a new world is born." 

-- Anais Nin

Mr. B's Silver Ladle

Song - Gonna Fly Now - Rocky Theme Song

Every year about at this time of winter our friends, Bob & Chris hold an Annual Soup Tasting Party.  About 12 couples each bring a pot of soup which is anonymously placed on a table with a tag which includes the name of the soup and a number.  Each person gets a bowl and a voting sheet where they can take notes and rate each soup as it's tasted.

Most years I make the soup but this year Mr. B wanted to be involved...and it came down to the last minute of deciding on a recipe, shopping and cooking....'cause that's how he hangs.

I'm thinking that you kinda know what I am going to tell you.....

Yes...Mr. B's Tomato Soup won!

And the photo above is of Mr. B with his award winning recipe and trophy - a silver ladle.

Here is the recipe - as best as his memory recollects......

The base recipe was from a Ree Drummond recipe and he added a pinch of this and a taste of that until it was just what he was looking for.

 

Next year Mr. B has decided to use his ladle for tasting wine just like a sommelier! 

It's great to have a chef in the house!!!

"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food." 

- W.C. Fields

Food is everything we are. It's an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It's inseparable from those from the get-go. Anthony Bourdain Food, History, Feeling Prev 1 2 3 4 .. 7 Next Matching Pages Authors Anthony Bourdain Popular Topics Inspirational Quotes Motivational Quotes Life Quotes Love Quotes Friendship Quotes Positive Quotes Funny Quotes Happiness Quotes Popular Authors Martin Luther King, Jr. Albert Einstein Buddha William Shakespeare Donald Trump Mahatma Gandhi Abraham Lincoln Winston Churchill
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html?q=anthony+bourdain

Food is everything we are. It's an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It's inseparable from those from the get-go.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html?q=anthony+bourdain

Ancient Highway

Song - These Are the Days by Van Morrison

Another road trip with Mr. B.

 Back to the Gold Country for......

 Wildflowers......

 Time together........

 Beautiful weather.....

Snow in the distance......

And a few short cuts!

 

Remember how I have told you that Mr. B loves back roads?

Well this time it worked out!  We took a small back road that turned into a gravel road, 

to my art show at Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys. The above photo is not Ironstone but a small winery along the road.  The above photo is not a driveway but is the actual road.

From early in the morning Saturday until early evening, 

the roads in and out of Murphys were grid-locked. 

But my quick thinking honey remembered a sneaky way into town and the winery!

Voila!  

We made it in plenty of time for the Daffodil-Tulip show, the Art show.........

And into town for Irish Day!!!

Along with a few thousand other people.

People were out in their finest greens....

After the crowds died down, we had a relaxing dinner outside on this veranda with some great food!

 

However, Mr. B forgot to wear green and was thrown into the Pokey!

"I don't like jails, they got the wrong kind of bars in there." --Charles Bukowski

I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there. Charles Bukowski
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/jail.html

Wild Women

Song - That's Right You're Not From Texas by Lyle Lovett & His Large Band

On Tuesday evening Mr. B took me to a lovely restaurant.  The food was exceptional as were the drinks.

Light and refreshing on a warm summer evening.  Guess what this was called?


.......the Lyle Spritzer.

Now you might think that this is a funny name for a drink unless you look closely at the menu and take note of the first cocktail offered - a  Lovett Old Fashioned.  And if you put the two together, you might think we were going to see Lyle Lovett and His Large Band at Wente Vineyards. 


And you would be right!

But first dessert.....mmm......an Apricot and Berry Tart with Lemon Verbena Whipped Cream. It just melted in my mouth.  We actually had an incredible 4 course dinner but we were enjoying it so much that I forgot to take photos. You can just trust me on that one!

For my birthday in June, Mr. B gave me two tickets to see Lyle Lovett & His LARGE Band and it was the perfect evening under the stars.

I have seen Lyle a number of times and what is always so striking to me is what a "gentleman" he is. Not sure if it's a Texan thing or if he was just brought up right! He has this incredible dry sense of humor.  He has 13 other people on stage with him and shares stories about each one.  Funny little tidbits that had the audience rolling in the isles.

One of my favorite members of his band is Ms. Francine Reed who grew up singing in her local church. Click HERE to get a sample of her style with Wild Women!

 This woman sings with great passion and you can just tell that she enjoys it with her whole heart and soul!

Lyle did as well and as he encouraged each musician to share in a solo portion, he just grinned on like a proud papa!

 Thank you Mr. B for the great tickets and for being my wine Sherpa for the evening!

"Women always go through the door first. Even ardent feminists would admit it's nice. It's not an acknowledgment of women as the weaker sex; it's perhaps an acknowledgment of women as the stronger sex." --Lyle Lovett

My Hunter Gatherer

Song - La Vie en Rose by Louis Armstrong from the movie French Kiss

So Mr. B is at a conference for the next few days and although he will be missed, Mika and I are all set for some girl time!

It includes painting and music!

Current painting that's on my easel

Reading........

Current book on my nightstand

 .....and watching all of those "chick flicks" that Mr. B just can't bear to watch again.

I have a case of Diet Coke.......

Several bottles of fine wine.......

And leftover Chinese food......mmmm....

As well as my partner in crime.....

Now the question remains....can we fit it all in????



"Happiness is a warm puppy." --Charles M. Schulz