Bodega Bay / Marin County - May 2014

In my opinion, there is never a bad day to visit the ocean. Sure, sometimes it is cold and foggy or warm and sunny, but it is usually so impressive that is suits any weather. When it is hot in Sacramento, it is a perfect time to leave the valley and head for the much cooler coast. Fortunately, the coast near Bodega Bay and Marin County are close enough for a brief visit.

OK, so there are other reasons to hit the coast. Specifically, the crab sandwich at the Spud Point Crab Company. They are notably famous for their clam chowder, but the freshly caught and picked sandwich on toasted bread always gets my favor. LOTS of fresh crab, a little dressing, and a beautiful ocean vista makes for a nice lunch. Unfortunately, the wind was very strong on my trip so I was unable to bear much time on the ocean.

I decided to head south into dairy country. Marin County is home to a major dairy industry, including many organic options. Clover Stornetta, Straus Family Creamery, and several cheese companies including my favorite Point Reyes Original Blue claim most of the milk from the cows. I took the above video just off California State Route 1 near Tomales, CA. The cheese from the area is simply amazing and tastes just like the fresh grass and sea air in the area - in a good way! I stopped at Cowgirl Creamery to see their operations and drove by dozens of family farms that supply the milk and cream I use on a daily basis.

Of course, no trip to the region is complete without a stop at Lagunitas Brewing Company. This place is EXTREMELY popular and almost always crowded, but they make good beer so that is expected. Lagunitas is famous for making very high alcohol beers, especially those that use a lot of hops. You need a lot of hops to counteract the higher malt content of a high alcohol beer, otherwise it is too sweet. Their only lager is a favorite of mine - Pils - a pilsner lager with just a little bit more alcohol. That said, I usually will not refuse an IPA or even a Little Sumpin' Sumpin' They have food, but fresh brewery-only beers is the biggest draw.

A sunny Memorial Day weekend is a great time to take a gorgeous drive to escape the heat, and getting some fresh seafood and beer is always a treat. It is nice to see where your food comes from and the people who make it taste so good. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

River Cats Game - May 2014

Everyone usually has a fun time at a Sacramento River Cats game. I had the opportunity to attend one this month, and I did have a fun time - although I did not experience an earthquake like the last time. Last season, we felt a minor earthquake from the northern Sierras in the stands which was a little weird but nothing major. Fortunately, the action on the field is usually more exciting.

The above picture is from a day game in the 2013 season, but it is typical of what you will find on a sunny day in Minor League baseball. The right outfield is especially nice with Tower Bridge and the Sacramento skyline in the background. The play can sometimes rival those at the Major League level, but mostly these guys are still trying to make it to the big show. Occasionally, a major will drop down recovering from injury or moving around the order. There is even a rumor the River Cats may switch affiliation to my San Francisco Giants.

Of course, food is always a big reason to see baseball. The River Cats offer their Dinger Dog in honor of the team mascot. It is a 1/2 lb. hot dog on a giant bun. The thing is enormous and almost impossible to eat without a fork and knife. They also offer regular sized food and all the garlic fries you can handle! Surprisingly, their new gourmet burgers are really good and cooked well. And yes, they have beer.

This is the actual view from my $20 seat. Not bad, and you get free fireworks every weekend. The River Cats were down most of the game but came back late to tie and force extra innings. They managed to score a walk off run to win the game and most importantly start the fireworks. Then it is a short walk across the bridge back into Sacramento County and a very short drive back home.

Weather is always a gamble with the River Cats. We don't get rainouts, but it can either be very hot or pretty cold with lots of wind - especially early in the season. Most of the regulars dress in layers since the Delta Breeze can turn a warm evening into a cold night before the 7th Inning Stretch. Even if you are not a big baseball fan, you will probably have a good time at the game. There's lots of junk food, great people watching, and maybe even a grand slam home run to electrify the crowd. Please enjoy the rest of my photos below.

UC Davis Picnic Day - April 2014

The University of California at Davis - more commonly known as UC Davis - celebrated their 100th Picnic Day in Davis, CA this year. Picnic Day serves as a university open house where many departments and student organizations show off their research projects, cultural skills, and sporting prowess. The campus is well known for being bike friendly, so scenes like above are common.

I was accepted to the graduate program in engineering at UC Davis after my undergraduate studies. After a few months, I decided to take a different path, but I can claim being an Aggie for at least one quarter. Their engineering school is still doing cool stuff like 3D printing, advanced biofuel research, and even some cool games for the kids.

Another big part of Picnic Day is the food. Of course since Picnic is in the name! Instead of tuna salad sandwiches and potato salad, you can find doner kebab, Thai noodles, fresh grilled tacos, and all sorts of other ethnic foods cooked by the student organizations. UC Davis has a composting and food waste pilot program that converts the food waste into natural gas used by their vehicle fleet. This way the food creates a lot of gas twice!

It is a great tradition to open up campus to alumni and the surrounding community to show off the talent of the university. Many families are able to take their kids in a fun atmosphere that encourages learning and appreciates knowledge. Kids and adults can milk a cow, watch a wiener dog race, and eat some free ice cream. Having a warm sunny day in April also helps! Enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Los Angeles - April 2014

It is hard to describe Los Angeles. The city itself has more people than 23 states, and the County of Los Angeles has as many residents as Michigan or North Carolina! It has many famous beaches; it is a huge entertainment and tourism destination; it has horrible traffic and smog. On this trip, I stayed near the LAX airport to explore the beach communities of Venice and Santa Monica.

After recovering from my sickness, there was only one place to go - Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles - for their namesake dish. That is a very tasty picture. The fried chicken was perfect. The waffles were perfect. The mound of butter and syrup trifecta was perfect. Just mash everything together into one amazing bite and enjoy the calories. I am guessing the other stuff on the menu was pretty good too since others had big smiles on their faces.

Venice and Venice Beach are not fancy places. This is a place where working people go to have fun. The bohemian lifestyle and amalgam of all classes and races can be a little overwhelming or intoxicating depending on your personal attitude. Nevertheless, everyone from the street performers to the bodybuilders at Muscle Beach are there looking to have fun and enjoy the scene. It is a fun walk depicted in many movies and worth the effort. They have all sorts of food, drink, and other stuff along the walk. However, those with faint hearts should stay away. This place is real.

Just up the PCH from Venice is the Getty Villa. Even though we are now pretty environmentally conscious out here in California, we made a lot of money from oil - especially Mr. Getty. The villa was modeled after a Roman villa which is appropriate for a modern emperor living in the American Mediterranean. The place is just gorgeous with every detail done well. It is also stuffed with ancient Roman and Greek antiquities and lots of cool architecture. The cafe even makes a mean burger, even though the staff are mostly Dodgers fans!

Yes, Randy makes a great donut. This iconic spot is near LAX and packed with people in search of a good donut or doughnut. And yes, they are really good. I had a chocolate old fashioned with chocolate dough and a mound of chocolate fudge icing. The jelly filled donut was simply perfect, everything you would expect in a raspberry filled fried piece of heaven. Nevertheless, the apple fritter was transcendent. Warm, cinnamon, apple, crispy sugar - everything you expect in a wonderful combination. Go here soon. Roscoe's is just down the street.

There is just something about cruising along the beach with the windows down enjoying a sunny afternoon in Los Angeles. Too bad most of the residents are stuck in traffic heading to Costco or stuck inside fixing the garbage disposal. Fortunately those Dodgers fans can always put off their chores and head to the good side of the 405 and enjoy a beautiful day in Southern California. Enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Verde Valley Wine Tasting - April 2014

Yes Virginia, they make wine in Arizona. Pretty good wine. I have watched the industry grow over the years from a novelty to a fun fact, but now they are actually kicking butt and starting something pretty cool. The city of Cottonwood, AZ has set up several wine tasting rooms in their old downtown and are inviting us city folk to partake. It is very similar to Murphys, CA for those reading my blog.

The first stop on the Verde Valley Wine Trail was Page Springs Cellars. Yes, they have a spring. They even bottle it and serve it in the tasting room! Delicious wine grown mostly in Southern Arizona. Most of the best regions for growing wine are in Southern Arizona, but those regions are very far from most tourist destinations. These wineries are close to Sedona in Northern Arizona with more visitors. I also stopped at Javelina Leap Winery across the street which was also pretty nice, although the lack of leaping javelina was a minus.

Downtown Cottonwood is where to find the action, so to speak. Before my sickness started rearing its ugly head, I had time to drive through and taste some wine. Several wineries are downtown including Arizona Stronghold and Pillsbury. The tasting rooms are very approachable and friendly. The downtown is also very nice with cool boutiques and little cafes all along the street. It is a perfect day trip from Phoenix or a worthy stop along a Northern Arizona vacation. The drive through the Verde Valley is especially nice anytime of the year.

Wine in the desert? Not really the "desert" but yes, it is Arizona wine. The soil conditions are similar to other famous regions and the hot days and cold nights really stresses the grape to make for high quality wine. Plus, it is always a good idea to help support local businesses, especially those making tasty adult beverages! Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.