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"!