What I did on Valentine's Day
Not much into Valentine's Day hype, my husband and I and our friends went on a drive through lovely vineyards and rolling hills inhabited by majestic oak trees in their winter garb traversing circuitous two-lane roads shared with many bikers who took advantage of the 70F weather to be out and about. Our aim was to follow the Sonoma Cheese Trail tasting as much cheese as we could stomach.
A few months before we took the same cheese tasting trail with a different set of friends and we had so much fun. We talked so much about it that we decided to do it again and with different friends this time.
We stopped at Nicasio Valley Cheese, Marin French Cheese Company and Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes Station. At the Cowgirl Creamery grounds we had our picnic lunch of cheese, wine, olives, carrot sticks and ice cream. However, the store was so crowded that day that we didn't attempt to taste the cheese.
We made a stop at Petaluma's Sonoma Port Works where Bill educated us about ports and grappas and sample these wonderful concoctions. They also make an what they call almost vinegar that is wonderful for salads, among other things. In the previous visit we purchased port, but this time around we got the almost vinegar.
We had just enough time to make it before Korbel Champagne Cellars free tasting was over for the day, but we made it and we sampled different types.
To end our day we had some burgers, sliders, fries and beer at nearby Stumptown Brewery.
All in all, it was a day well spent with friends in spring like weather. Driving through the wine country made me once again realize how incredibly blessed I am to be living here.
I didn't take photos of the cheese samples or the stores and winery. Sometimes taking too much pictures ruins the experience, just my experience.
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A few months before we took the same cheese tasting trail with a different set of friends and we had so much fun. We talked so much about it that we decided to do it again and with different friends this time.
We stopped at Nicasio Valley Cheese, Marin French Cheese Company and Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes Station. At the Cowgirl Creamery grounds we had our picnic lunch of cheese, wine, olives, carrot sticks and ice cream. However, the store was so crowded that day that we didn't attempt to taste the cheese.
We made a stop at Petaluma's Sonoma Port Works where Bill educated us about ports and grappas and sample these wonderful concoctions. They also make an what they call almost vinegar that is wonderful for salads, among other things. In the previous visit we purchased port, but this time around we got the almost vinegar.
We had just enough time to make it before Korbel Champagne Cellars free tasting was over for the day, but we made it and we sampled different types.
To end our day we had some burgers, sliders, fries and beer at nearby Stumptown Brewery.
All in all, it was a day well spent with friends in spring like weather. Driving through the wine country made me once again realize how incredibly blessed I am to be living here.
I didn't take photos of the cheese samples or the stores and winery. Sometimes taking too much pictures ruins the experience, just my experience.
SKYWATCH is a weekly gathering of sky lovers and sky watchers. Join us.
gorgeous photos, I would enjoy the cheese places too, hopeyou have a good week :-)
ReplyDeleteohh the flowers... and the meadows... so beautiful :D
ReplyDeleteYes you are very blessed! Just being able to travel often when you want to is far far more blessing than your countrymen left here. You have a lot to thank God for! I love most that yellow-flowered mountain. And how did you do the pictures with your name and flickr on the top? hehehe
ReplyDeleteYes you are very blessed! Just being able to travel often when you want to is far far more blessing than your countrymen left here. You have a lot to thank God for! I love most that yellow-flowered mountain. And how did you do the pictures with your name and flickr on the top? hehehe
ReplyDeleteA cheese-induced driving adventure sounds very brave, not for me. :p
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots and sounds like a great Valentine's expedition.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned my shots not looking like winter. It has been a weird winter here. One day like spring the next very cold. The shots on my post that you commented on covered two weeks and the day after I posted them we had sleet, snow and freezing rain. Unfortunately getting spring signals and back to cold tends to be hard on spring flowers some of which start to early and then are killed. It is nice though to get a break in the weather. We have literally had a 50 degree swing from low F teens to high F 60s. Bizarre! It's not unusually to have a mix of weather here but this has been unusually extreme.
Very beautiful green views and flowers!
ReplyDeleteSounds ..and looks .. like a perfect day, Valentine's or any other!
ReplyDeleteHow great to see so many blossoms!
ReplyDeleteWow, blossoms are out there already! I think I'm ready for spring. Beautiful view and the wine must be good too.
ReplyDelete