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Restaurant at Wente Vineyards

Maybe it was because it was our anniversary celebration.  Or maybe it was because my wife and I were out together for an extremely rare evening alone.  Whatever it was, there was a special magic to our recent visit to the Restaurant at Wente Vineyards in Livermore. 

We called ahead for reservations and learned that you can reserve a table for dinner and work in a quick wine tasting beforehand at the within-walking-distance Vineyard Tasting Room.  Thinking that sounded like a great evening, it quickly became our anniversary plan.  We thought to have about an hour to taste right before dinner, since the Vineyard Tasting Room closes at 6:30 PM. Great plan, but we got there behind schedule, leaving us a very short amount of time to taste.  Our wine server saved the day by suggesting we share a flight, which worked out really well.  We shared the Nth Degree flight for around $10 and each had several sips of some nice wines. A perfect way to start out any anniversary dinner. 

Even the two minute walk to and from the parking lot between the Tasting Room and the Restaurant was nice due to the beautiful wedding taking place on the grounds.  The scene was serene, with the Restaurant’s patio humming with patrons enjoying the sun-soaked early evening. 

My wife and I both feel that the service that night was excellent.  From the host/manager who sat us to our waiter with his knowledgeable recommendations, we really got the impression that the restaurant was infused with class and elegance simply by their skilled delivery.  Our food was wonderful, including a Mary’s Farm chicken dish and a recommended pan stew.  Even the bread and butter brought at the beginning of the meal were notable, including a light sprinkle of salt on the butter.  My wife said that the word “fresh” kept coming to her mind, with the veggies being a consistent standout.  We had a fritto misto appetizer that was crunchy and light (even though fried), however both of us felt that there was a mysterious fried item (was it lemon slices?) that created an odd flavor.  We also ordered a side dish of baby artichokes that was a nice accompaniment.  Sweetly, Wente created an assorted cookie/truffle plate for us spelling out a chocolatey “Happy Anniversary!”  It’s the little things that make all the difference.

At the end of this special evening, more magic wafted around our table as a well-meaning, older couple leaned over and expressed that we must always remember how important it is to fit alone time into the daily hectic schedule of young family life.  Agreed.  And this night was so memorable that it will be a bookmark in our lives, serving as that important reminder.  Thanks, Wente.

Hummingbirds Anyone?

Ever wonder how to attract hummingbirds to your front or back yard? Last year, my family planted several new varieties of plants in our front yard.  One of those we weren’t familiar with, but thought it was a nice pop of red color, was a Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ sage plant.  It has turned out to be one of our favorites, as it attracts hummingbirds like crazy!  I decided to poke around online to see if I could find any other plants that do well in California and also attract our tiny flying friends.  Here’s a few that will, according to Ms. Doreen Smith of the Marin Chapter of the California Native Plant Society :

• Snowberries
• Columbine
• Flowering Sage
• Monkeyflower
• Huckleberry
• Manzanita
• Blue Penstemon
• Redbud
• Red Larkspur
• Leopard Lily

Did you know that hummingbird’s don’t necessarily like red flowers better?  According to Las Pilitas Nursery, bees avoid red flowers, which usually means more and better nectar for hummingbirds. Happy planting!!!

Knudsen’s Ice Creamery. Just a Lick Away from the Tri-Valley Area.

I scream for ice cream.  I have several top contenders for favorite flavors.  If you, like me, are an ice cream aficionado, then you’re in luck.  There’s a family-friendly creamery with tons of charm just west of the Tri-Valley in nearby Castro Valley that will satisfy your creamy cravings. 

According to the Knudsen’s Ice Creamery website, Dave and Kathy Knudsen have been in the candy and ice cream business for a long while.  First in San Francisco, the Knudsen’s owned an ice cream store, and then in Hayward the couple bought and expanded The Candy Factory.  In 2004, the Knudsen’s opened Knudsen’s Ice Creamery in a Castro Valley location that was formerly a different ice cream store.  The Knudsen’s remodeled the store and also added a working candy factory. In 2005, the Knudsen’s also began to make their own ice cream (Fenton’s had served well as their ice cream supplier when they originally opened.

Located conveniently on Castro Valley Blvd. (take the Strobridge exit from the 580, head east on Castro Valley Blvd, creamery will be on the south side of the street), this family-owned and operated restaurant is a real eating experience.  When I was trying to think about why I liked my meal at Knudsen’s so much, I realized that a trip to Knudsen’s feels like you are transported to Read more

A Day at the New California Academy of Sciences

On a recent stormy Saturday, my family and I met up with my uncle and cousin to explore the newly reopened California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.  We were all very excited and had read up on the many awe-inspiring experiences the new Academy has to offer.  Here are a few that we were looking forward to:

• The world’s deepest living coral reef exhibit
• A four-story rainforest
• A 20 member African penguin colony
• A 21^st Century planetarium
• A reinvented natural history museum
• The living roof

My uncle had heard that the museum gets very crowded (and may even sell out) and to buy our tickets online before we got there.  This route is highly recommended!  It is so easy and really saved the day for us.  The line to purchase tickets was pretty long (even the parking garage was extremely crowded that day), but we simply went up to the employee standing at a podium who was able to print our tickets for us at the steps.  We didn’t have to wait in line at all and just walked right up to the ticket-taker. 

The museum was so full, but we managed our way through a lot of their amazing exhibits.  The kids very much enjoyed the Philippine Coral Reef and the many smaller free-standing exhibits, including Altered State: Climate Change in California.  A big-time hit with both my daughter and son was Read more

Take the Time for Small Moments

My daughter told her first true joke, and it really taught me a lesson.

Not only was her joke funny - it was a reference joke.  She used someone else’s line and made it fresh and original.  It was so funny, I didn’t stop laughing for a full two minutes.  Then it made me think.  And then I wanted to cry for what it meant was happening.

Both of my kids were sitting together sharing a bowl of dry cereal.  It was Fruit Loops, and each of them took turns picking out their favorite colors.  After a while, my daughter simply said, “I got a rock,” each time she picked up her piece.

I sat listening for a while, when all of a sudden it dawned on me.  She is making a Charlie Brown reference!  She was three years old and using a movie reference for humor!  In one scene of the classic movie, “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” Charlie and his friends go trick-or-treating.  At each home, everyone gets great treats in their bag, everyone except poor Charlie.  Being the long-suffering character that he is, Charlie gets a rock at each home instead.  And every time he does, he simply says, “I got a rock.”

When my daughter said, “I got a rock” with each Loop, she was referencing Charlie Brown, and this bowled me over.  It was funny, and it was shocking.  It felt like a large siren went off in my head and a voice came over the loud speaker to report on just how fast she is growing up. Can someone please slow down the clock?

I guess what I am getting at is… time flies.  Time flies when Read more

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