Sunday, November 27, 2016

Tesla'ing Around Silicon Valley




Our self driving chariot

multiple screens - including map of where you can recharge
 We visited Farkle Jackie and husband Arthur in Half Moon Bay. Seems they were expecting us for three days. Weren't they surprised when we stayed seven! For us the time flew. We had so much to catch up with - visit friends, check up on our previous homes, explore small coastal towns, replace my cell phone that spent the night under the car in the rain.

The tunnels at Devils Slide, north of Half Moon Bay, are now open. No more highway sliding into the sea and closing the coastal access to San Francisco!  The old highway, what's left of it, is now a park for walking, bike riding. The WWII bunker just south of the tunnels is just plain curious. But there are so many bunkers along the coast that I guess it is just normal. And then there are the Nike Missile launch sites in Marin. So really.  A few more bunkers are nothing new around here.
Turk guards the tunnels at Devils Slide
Erosion anyone?













View from the coast
always beautiful coastline near San Fransico

 We jumped in Jackie's Tesla and quietly zoomed our self-navigated way to Pescadero where we met the goats and their cheese. Our major find was the garlic artichoke bread, fresh from the oven, at Arcangeli Grocery. The bread barely made it out of the store before it was gone. It never ever cooled off! Outside, with our mouths full of warm, delicious garlic-artichoke bits, we met some people who told us that this was the reason they came to Pescadero - for this bread. Apparently we were the only ones not 'in the know' about the bread. We know now!
The goats at Pescadero.
THE bread - in the middle


Fueled with carbs, we Tesla'd to Carmel. To ensure we got home that night, we recharged at the local Tesla dealership. There were 8 chargers and they were full. We had to wait a bit and were shown the hospitality suite complete with TV, toys for kids, drinks, snacks, restrooms and couches. It felt like we were part of a private club.

But we had places to go! Carmel beckoned.  We drove around the neighborhood and peered relentlessly into windows and yards.  Checked out in-progress remodeling projects. But our real goal was to watch sunset. We parked - Tesla could tell us where it was if we didnt remember - and we wandered to the beach.



Because three sunset pictures are just not enough
While walking on the beach we saw a couple and their adult child taking pictures of one another. We asked if we could take a picture of all of them with their phone. Yes and we did. Come to find out, the wife went to high school in Orlando - probably when I did. Small world. Then they took photos of us!

because one picture is not enough

We Missed You San Francisco


Union Square  - Xmas 2016
We've not been in the city for maybe 5 years. Much has changed. The skyline is looking a bit like Manhattan which is hard to fathom when you consider all of these buildings are built upon a very active fault line.  In fact, the 58 story Milennium Tower is tilting due to one side sinking 16 inches since 2009.

61 story Salesforce Tower under construction.
I love the old and new (TransAmerica tower is kind of old by now tho)

intricately tiled entry to vacant store

a knitted tree trunk
 I enjoy San Francisco for many reasons. One of them is the serendipitous things you see just walking around.
count me in!

sitting on the can at Vesuvio Cafe on Columbus

yes, a restaurant that serves toast

Look who was visiting while we were there!
You should notice we are pointing at a bucket of wine bottles. photo taken by a drunk customer.
Classic!


Another thing I enjoy? SF food!!  That includes chocolate. We visited small batch chocolater Dandelion Chocolate on Mission Street. We could watch the team making and packaging their candies.  They also had a bakery with selected offerings. The Turk had to continue his hot chocolate tasting competition. Here he tried the Tasting Chocolate - a European style hot chocolate that is pretty much a melted chocolate bar that you drink. He deemed this his favorite. Duh!

YES

Makin' chocolate!







the sampler option








happy Turk



I discovered an impressive chocolate shop - sells, doesnt make, chocolates from all over the world. Chocolate Covered, located in Noe Valley, claims to have the largest selection in the city. Probably true.

We also discovered an amazing gelato shop on Columbus in Little Italy - of course. The Turk and I have become fascinated with gelato after last year's trip to Italy. And we've become very picky. Gelateria Naia has amazing gelato made from local ingredients!
Another reason San Francisco has my heart? I have so many happy memories of being there.  This is the elementary school that Sara and Tulin attended in the Mission.
Synergy School in the Mission where Sara and Tules went to elementary school



Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Kids and Kids of Kids

Flamingos greeted us at Sacramento Zoo
Summayeh and Grandma Kathy
 We headed to Sacramento to visit Sara, Yousef and the grandkids. We'd not met Summayeh yet and she is 1! Sulayman is 3.  With no TV, we were all busy interacting - reading, playing, preparing food, eating.  Sleep came easy for us all.
Sacramento has proclaimed themselves as the country's most socially diverse city. This seems believable as we found a large number of various nationalities of Hispanics and a very active community of Muslims from many countries.  Per census info: 45% White, 18% Asian, 15% Black, 27% Hispanic.
Food choices are fun in that you have the same diversity in restaurants and groceries. Sara did a great job keeping all of us fed with healthy, home-cooked meals.


Happy Grandpa

Busy Sara



YEAH!!! It doesnt stop..
















Grandpa is busy











Sulayman waiting for us to catch up



 We headed to the Sacramento Zoo.  The lion roars could be heard throughout the zoo making us wonder if they had a microphone around their neck.
Our favorite animals to watch were the small monkeys. There was a batch of babies who were so goofy that we, and everyone else who watched, were cracking up.
Sara and Sulayman watching the giraffes

Hello

Summayeh likes her grandpa




































Everyone takes a break

Sulayman checking out ape statue


This ride scared the adult more than the child


















At the park

driving lessons


Chef Sulayman

figuring out the puzzle with grandpa's help
chef lessons baking pumpkin pies

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Some Time in Sonoma




Turk surveys Susi and Fred's winery
fall at the winery


 We had the pleasure of spending a couple days with old friends who have purchased a winery outside of Healdsburg. They took us wine tasting to some tasty wineries.

Preston farm and winery - This organic farm and winery also had fresh bread and farm animals.

MacRosti Winery - the tastings were fun and delicious. But the highlight was the location. A beautiful tasting room atop a hill overlooking the area.

Amphora Wines - creative wine maker Rick Hutchinson is fun, energetic and has some interesting wines. We enjoyed the Mourvèdr, a grape I typically see only in a blend.
Who knows what they are figuring out
Susie works with her greens

Fred's wine cellar

Bottles of Fred and Susie's Pinto grapes used by wineries


men are cooking

Amphora Winery with Rick Hutchinson, Owner/Winemaker