Commercial Street. How apt.

I walk down this street most days. It's just a reminder I guess.

Calistoga- Wine Country

I have just returned from a beautiful part of California.....Calistoga.  Calistoga is only 90 minutes drive from San Francisco and you are in another world. It's laid back and approx 5 degrees centigrade warmer than downtown SF.Calistoga is home to natural volcanic hot springs, 500 years ago the  Wappo Indian tribe made Calistoga their home but it's now home to spas, fine restaurants and wineries.  My idea of bliss.  A perfect place to celebrate a friends bachelorette. We stayed at the Indian Springs Spa & Resort. It was dark when we arrived but all would be revealed in the morning. Indian Springs offers authentic mud baths, which I wish I could of taken my iPhone into to share photos. It's another world. http://www.indianspringscalistoga.com/

On the first evening we all went to a Nole. This is what the San Franciscans call a Farm to Table restaurant. Although I find that phrase peculiar when there is octupus and scallops on the menu. Maybe means organic or freshly sourced. I googled but couldn't find an exact definition. Anyways I digress. Nole is a part of a hotel. On a Friday evening Jole was almost full, but our reservation was for 8.45 so maybe we were the last to show. (Something to note- San Franciscans dine really early e.g. from 5.30pm). As we were a group of 9 we decided to share a mix of starters followed mains/ entrees. Of note was the Gnocchi with Chilli, Broccoli and Garlic. Fresh with a perfect kick. Another was the neck of lamb. So so tender. Everything was beautifully presented. I should also mention the wine. Jole has new and old world as well as a selection of reserve. You can also try a pairing menu with a 4, 5 or 6 course tasting menu. Next time I will try that. http://jolerestaurant.com/


The next day (after many wines the night before) most of the group relaxed by the Olympic size hot mineral pool. This is amazing. All pools need to be this size and warmth. Worried that you don't have the effort to swim? Fear not, there are lots of floating beds to lie on. 


Mid-afternoon a few of us ventured off on our low rider bikes (courtesy of the resort) down the main road to a winery for a quick tasting then it was a early dinner at Solbar. Solbar is at Solage resort, approx 10 mins bike ride from Calistoga. The interior design is furnished by Cherner. I now want Cherner chairs. They are elegant and comfortable, I am obsessed. http://www.chernerchair.com/index.php

Back to Solbar, there was a little irritation with the matre'd when we arrived who seemed quite insistant that we get to our table at 5.30pm but other than him, the service at Solbar is amazing. The food, just perfect. It's been a long time since I tasted good, tasty, simple, elegant, fresh food. The menu offers healthy but also hearty dishes. For starters I chose the asparagus with house-smoked salmon, creme fraiche, horseradish and finely sliced buckwheat crepes. I loved the kick of the horseradish. For main I went with the halibut. I can still see the whiteness of the delicate flakes of fish. Again amazing. The only let down for me was dessert. The experience was going so well that I pushed myself to order dessert. Something I rarely do and opted for the cheesecake which should of been described on the menu as 3 spoonfuls of cheesecake like mousse served on biscuits. It wasn't quite what I expected and after offering it to my fellow diners, there were no takers.



Solbar apparently has a Michelin star but lacks any formality of a Michelin star restaurant I have been to before. There was a bustle and a vibrancy. People everywhere were enjoying their Solbar experience, so were we. All 10 if us. I will definitely be back. http://solbarnv.com/

Sausalito- A bike ride

So J and I have just bought bikes and co-incidentally in similar colours. After 10 combined years in Amsterdam we were determined to ride in Amsterdam style back and forth to work, but after a couple (quite a few) near misses with cars, buses and other maniac cyclists on the pot holed roads downtown, we have both resorted to wearing helmets. They say it's better to be safe than sorry.

One beautiful Saturday morning we decided to head over the Golden Gate bridge to Sausalito.

That's a good 40km cycle there and back but a great ride. Starting at our place in SOMA we headed down and along the Embarcadero, through the touristy Fisherman's Wharf, through the Marina, Presidio and then finally over the Golden Gate Bridge. Although we were passed all the time by professional looking road racing cyclists, I was pretty impressed that our 'Urban Hybrid' bikes were quite happy going up the only hill to reach the bridge. Then it was a nice downhill into Horseshoe Bay and then North and round the corner to Sausalito.

We ate lunch at the Sausalito Taco Shop. Head through Sausalito for about 5 mins, and this little bit of Mexico is on your left. You can't miss the brightly decorated patio of this small cafe.  We wanted to be healthy and both went for the taco's in lettuce shells. When they arrived on the table and we saw how small the portions were we added some quesadillos. The Taco Shop isn't amazing food, but definitely filled a hole and a great place to sit in the sun after a bike ride. http://salsalitotacoshop.com/menu.html


The morning idea was to get the ferry back from Sausalito to the city, but the weather was so beautiful that we decided to ride back, once over the bridge we took a detour through Chrissy Fields that was buzzing with joggers, bikers, strollers, kite surfers then back along the Embarcadero.  San Franciscans love the outdoor.