My fellow visitor and I gasped at the fluffy colorful loofas lying gently on top of the thick cotton towels, one for each guest, stacked on the pillow of freshly pulled out linen, pillows and an animal print cover. We tried to argue about taking over the bedroom, but failed. We most arduously tried not to wake up too early, not to be too loud in the mornings, and to close all doors as to not let the breeze through. The little hassles of communal living were a fresh change of priorities.
I haven’t met a more eager to please hostess (other than my mom), as she opened a container of home-made, first time cooked, crepes which were delish with neatly cut strawberries and blackberries organized in their own tiny plastic containers. She most willingly made us eggs, as we prefer, and laid out two kinds of bread. A whole pan of chocolate brownie was waiting patiently for our first bite. Let’s not forget the numerous choices of earl grey and fruity teas in silky bags. And this was only our first breakfast!
Our hosts were generous with their time, gas (for the car) and attention. The first day of the weekend was spent eyeing the first glimpses of the Pacific waves and aviation history.
In light of the drizzle we opted for the bond movie and were busy discussing the best candidate for the ideal James Bond (past, present and future).
We lucked out with blue skies peering through the grey morning clouds as we headed to discover just some of San Francisco for Day Two. With fancy Philz coffee in hand we debated on the art of ever present murals throughout the city.
After greeting the Buddha of the Japanese Tea Garden we indulged in some rice cakes and other treats.
A group photo (of 4) was attempted with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.
We tried to communicate with the swans of the Palace of Fine Arts, but we clearly did not know the language. The City Lights Book store landmark was a pleasant cultural diversion for the soul and mind. The lively chat of movies at Bella over house red wine and house made pasta was a smile-full finish to that evening.
The vast ocean skyline, breeze and friendly seagulls and squirrels welcomed us to Monterey on Day Three. After much shopping done, we headed for our try of local sushi. As always our eyes were too hungry for our stomachs and someone had to eat the leftovers.
For the finale of Day Four and a special Birthday celebration for my fellow visitor we opted for the vineyards of Napa Valley. The day officially started with the cultural clashes of dishes and tastes and a happy palate at a downtown Napa bruncherie. Prolonging the day’s festivities was held at an even more local castle where an émigré from Sienna (as in Italy) chatted us through our wine tastings.
Finally, the birthday girl had a chance to be embarrassed and blow out the birthday candle caught in a panna cotta of a busy tapas restaurant.
In just four short days, five wine tastings, over 12 Yelp check-ins, hundreds of miles driven, hundreds of dollars spent during shopping, thousands of miles spent flying it was a most lovely weekend and welcome to our hosts' first marital home.
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