Haight Ashbury, San Francisco, CA

Visiting Haight Ashbury is always a treat. They have tons of little eclectic shops, thrift stores and yummy eateries. We had a great time walking in and out of the stores and experiencing a little of the 60s that still resides in the Haight.

I recommend the Asqew Grill for lunch and for dessert Coco-luxe! Try the chocolate dipped honeycomb!

I have a permit!

I visited city hall while we were in Carmel and got a permit to wear high heels in the city limits. I'm legal now!

Carmel, California

My favorite city in America, Carmel, California. There is nothing like seeing the sunset on the beach in Carmel and then walking back up the hill to choose which restaurant to try. The city is full of art galleries, boutiques and delicious restaurants, bars and bakeries.

Driving down Highway 1

Bixby Bridge

Driving down Highway 1 is a must when you are in the area. Make sure you stop at the Big Sur River Inn for lunch on the patio.

September 11, 2011

On September 11th we woke up on the 15th floor of the Hyatt in downtown San Francisco. There were memorials going on all over town. I loved opening the window and seeing our American flag flying proudly from the tops of the skyscrapers.

Later that day we headed to Carmel and saw this beautiful sculpture holding our awesome flag.

What a great country we live in!

Al Fresco, Kitchen and Garden

Right outside the Kokomo tasting room is the Al Fresco Kitchen and garden. We were directed by Ross to visit the kitchen for lunch after our tour. It took a bit to get our food, but was totally worth the wait, because it was all freshly made. We ordered, burgers, pulled pork, seasoned fries and vegetables and everything was incredibly delicious.

Right next to the picnic tables and bocce ball court is a beautiful flower garden. The garden has a sign that says "Take as many flowers as you want, the more you pick the more they grow - The Gardener". Abbey and Jamie picked us a beautiful bouquet for our hotel room.

Kokomo Vineyard Tour

When you drive up the hill to the Kokomo tasting room you first see a large parking lot. Kokomo shares a drive with a few other tasting rooms. We visited a couple of those, and they were fine, but as soon as we walked in the door at Kokomo we realized we were somewhere special. Ross greeted us at the door and showed us around. We spent time talking with him about the area, and got the scoop on where the locals eat and the best places to go for live music late at night. Then Ross introduced us to the Kokomo wines and set us up for a vineyard tour with the owner and the grower for the following morning.

Erik Miller (the owner) and Randy Peters (the rancher) took us on a tour of the vines the next morning. Randy explained to us the importance of the soil, the climate, and explained to us how they determine how much hang time the grapes need on the vines. He had us taste different types of grapes and explained how they determine which types of grapes make which types of wine. I am definitely not a wine connoisseur but I thoroughly enjoyed it all.

Erik Miller the owner, came to Sonoma after college to spend the summer and relax. He took a job helping with harvest and decided his future and his heart were in Sonoma. Randy Peters is a 4th generation rancher in Dry Creek Valley and has an amazing amount of knowledge. Both of these guys, as well as Ross were personable made us feel extremely welcome.

If you are ever in Healdsburg - go by and visit at Kokomo and tell Ross, Randy and Erik that their Nashville friends said "Hello"!

Wineries we loved

At the first place we stopped, Mauritson, we met a very nice lady who directed us to several family owned vineyards where we would get personal service.

Here are some of our favorites:
Stuhlmuller Vineyards - very off the beaten path, but definitely worth the drive

Truett-Hurst- beautiful vineyards, herb and vegetable gardens, sheep and goats

Kokomo - our favorite - more to come on this one!

Dry Creek Grocery

When wandering through Sonoma County, in the town of Healdsburg we stumbled upon Dry Creek Grocery. Dry Creek Grocery is a general store that also has a delicious deli and a nice indoor and outdoor eating area. We loaded up on delicious picnic items and enjoyed the dining among the vineyards.

Sonoma County, California

I've been to Napa Valley and the scenery is beautiful, but many of the Napa wineries are run by corporations and it's gotten pretty commercial and crowded. I prefer the less crowded, off the beaten path and family owned wineries so we headed to Sonoma County.

Santa Rosa is Sonoma's county seat and we stayed in Santa Rosa at the Sonoma Hilton. This is our second stay at the Sonoma Hilton and I highly recommend it. The rooms are spacious, clean and affordable. They have beautiful grounds and are within easy access of restaurants and shopping. I also love Santa Rosa because it's where Charles Shultz lived most of his adult life. The whole town has Peanut's characters all over town and if you know me...you know how I love the Peanuts characters!

Muir Woods

I highly recommend a walk through the Redwoods!

Betelnut

We visited Betelnut for some delicious asian food on our first night in the city. The portions are large so it's best to just order a few dishes and all share. Delicious!!

Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco

Bryan and I took this trip with three of our friends, and we enjoyed walking a few blocks from our motel to the Palace of Fine Arts. It's a beautiful sight during the day, but at night it is simply breathtaking!

What a beautiful place!

Marina Motel, Lombard Street, San Francisco

I love the smaller unique family owned motels where you get great personal service. On this trip out west we stayed at the Marina Motel. The Marina is located on Lombard street and was built for the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930s. The rooms are not huge, but they all have a fridge and microwave and are set up like tiny apartments and the courtyard is full of fragrant beautiful flowers.

The motel is within walking distance of the Palace of Fine Arts, lots of great restaurants and easy access to public transportation. It was clean, affordable and each unit comes with free parking!

Southwest Airlines

I'm a Southwest fan!

Centerville, TN

12th South, Nashville

Jackson, TN

Everytime I drive past this sign I start humming the theme from St. Elmo's Fire.

 Kirby: Fluff and fold, buddy. Soon as I make it really big, I'm going fluff and fold.

Do you think this whole truck was full of Tootsie Pops?

Memphis gift shop find



What a perfect gift for my music friend's baby!



I appreciate this...

because I prefer my meals to be smoke and gunfire free.

“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.”  ~ Paul Theroux

Lawrence County, TN

I was driving through Lawrence County earlier this week and encountered some very nice Amish people on the road. I think it is nice how the community embraces the diversity of their county. Many of the grocery stores have sheds beside their parking lots for horse and buggy parking.

Near Somerville, Tennessee

Paris, TN

As part of my new job, I travel around Tennessee training doctors, nurses and office staff how to use the electronic health record. This job takes me to the big cities and small towns.




This week I visited Paris, TN - home of the biggest catfish fry! I also stumbled upon the Paris winery as I was leaving town. Who knew Paris, TN had their own winery? It's a beautiful place that has a restaurant and even offers music among the vines.

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. – Jawaharial Nehru

Big Sur, California

Pack a picnic and take some day hikes through the state parks of Big Sur, California. The scenery is amazing!

Carmel, California





Mission Ranch





Mission Ranch

One of my favorite places to visit when I am in California is Carmel. It's a very small town full of galleries, restaurants and shopping. Carmel has been called the Monaco of America. The beach is beautiful, the air is clear and the residents are very friendly. Clint Eastwood was once the mayor of Carmel and now owns the Mission Ranch resort there. Doris Day also owns a very nice motel in the center of town.

I think I could write a great American novel, if I lived here.

Casanova Restaurant

The Golden Gate

The Golden Gate can be enjoyed by car, bike or walking path. Just don't forget to take your jacket - even on a pretty day it's pretty windy out there. 

Places to visit in San Francisco

Who doesn't love Ghirardelli chocolate?





 There are some places you should not miss while you are in San Francisco - the Golden Gate, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Little Italy and Haight Ashbury just to name a few. There is a great website "Where the locals eat" that gives great recommendations.



The best chocolate dipped granola in the city!




Great veggie pizza and fruit tea!



I left my heart in San Francisco...

It's true...I left part of my heart in the city by the bay!

Southwest Airlines



Hmm...hungry pilots?

I love Southwest- the low fares and fabulous customer service make them my very favorite airline!

Chicago billboard

Santa Rosa, California

I just loved strolling through Santa Rosa and seeing all the Peanuts character statues.