womantraveler

Napa Valley's CIA Cooking (the Other One)

Wine inspires, but food sustains in the San Francisco Bay Area, so the Culinary Institute of America (the other CIA) in Napa Valley is a must-do for cooking classes. And they're quick and easy -- 1 to 2 hours. This ongoing series of classes the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena makes it easy to actually develop a small skill in the midst of experiencing the marvelous vineyards.

We girlfriends were jaunting through the Valley one spring day and discovered the Spring Table series at Greystone, the former home of the Christian Brothers Winery. Classes are Friday-Monday and a demo is held the first Tuesday of the month. The 1-hour public cooking demonstrations ($15) include the recipe and tasting while the 2-hour hands-on cooking classes (75)consist of a 30-minute lecture, 90-minute cooking and tasting with a glass of wine. Classes in May, for example, include "Terrine of Salmon with Spring Vegetables," "Lamb Carpaccio with Greek Feta Cheese, Black Olives, Lemon Vinaigrette and Mint Oil" and "Sweet Pea Ravioli with Sauteed Pea Tendrils." I'm getting so hungry I don't think I can finish this post!

There are also Wine Enthusiast classes and elegant dinners at The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, which you can check out on their website.

Spotted by Locals: European Insiders' View

We heard about Spotted by Locals, a smart new website on which local handpicked bloggers dish out tips about cool spots, both traditional and offbeat, to visit in their own European cities. So we tested Paris, which we know pretty well, and, bien sur, our favorite Left Bank resto, Fish la Boissonnerie, was one of the features. Plus, les Parisien bloggers suggested ways to experience some of the typical sights in new ways, such as the picturesque gardens Luxembourg and Jardin des Plantes.

Not that some of these recommendations wouldn't be in a typical guidebook, but the perspective is definitely "from the ground up," where everyday people enjoy something fabulous that outsiders are not going to find easily unless we have their lens. You feel like you're talking to someone you know, who's sincere and believable, and there are maps to help get you to their choices. This is a site to use as part of your broader searching -- it's not all-inclusive, but a welcome peak into an authentic experience. Bravo!

Napa Valley Wine Country's Carneros Inn

Splurging for the best room (one of the east vineyard-facing Vineyard View Cottages) at Napa Valley's Carneros Inn was worth the stretch price, especially the outdoor shower and vineyard views.    Now in off-season there are deals worth considering across the property for a peaceful winter get-away. There's lots of good buzz about the place, most of it worthy. Besides the privacy, we especially liked the patio with overhead heaters, the fireplace, French doors and flat screen TV/DVD/CD combo. I'm told by Womantraveler friends that a girlfriends spa visit at the Carneros Inn tops the list in the highly competitive Napa Valley spa scene, including a room for the day for relaxing and changing. On another visit to the Valley, simply stopping for a glass of wine at the outdoor lounge was a delightful treat. Just inside was the highly rated Farm restaurant -- we can't vouch for it directly but the word of mouth is tantalizing. 

San Francisco Dining: Small Plates, Large Pleasures

We girlfriends dining out opt for the "small plates" restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. Not that we eat any less, we simply enjoy a greater sampling of dishes -- and tasting the menu's variety is great fun.

To celebrate Leap Year, our choice was Sabor of Spain in  downtown San Rafael. Where did the four hours go?? Assorted olives (aceitunas de la casa) and a bottle of red wine (Crianza) started us off and lingered with us for the entire meal. Next came a butter lettuce and Spanish blue cheese salad, mixed marinated mushrooms in white wine, grilled marinated calamari and tiger prawns -- four "small" plates that amounted to a huge amount of food for two! We could also have ordered regular main dishes as well. Sabor of Spain's vinoteca and food products, as well as occasional live music, make it an "uptown" destination.

The first trip to Pres a Vi in San Francisco's historic Presidio was such a major hit that I've taken other guests back since. Located in Lucasfilm's Digital Arts Center, Pres a Vi is an upscale and animated city restaurant offering inventive and artistically presented "global cuisine" of both small plates and main dishes. A recent visit left us remarking on the endive salad, miso-marinated Alaskan black cod and King Salmon selections. A wide assortment of wines, in flights or ordered individually, pair thoughtfully with the food. And there's live jazz music on Thursday nights. (One friend was less satisfied with the brunch menu due to what she thought was a fairly limited menu and the restaurant's "no substitutions" policy. But you can always check the menu before making your reservation.)

For the best sushi in Marin County and arguably in the Bay Area, Sushi Ran in Sausalito is the right answer. When Bay Area restaurants were ranked by France's Michelin critics for the first time in 2006, Sushi Ran was among those winning a coveted Michelin star. That's in part because the menu is a combination of traditional Japanese and Pacific Rim cuisine served with imagination and flair. There are two sections -- one for reservations and the other for walk-ins. The wondrous sushi bar is on the reservations-only side. And if you're walking in, get there by 5:30 when Sushi Ran opens, or the line will soon have formed. Also come with a clear head and a large appetite -- the menu is lengthy and the wine list has 300 offerings!

Two other local faves: Betlenut on Union Street in San Francisco (Pan Asian fusion) has fabulous food and sidewalk tables for the best of San Francisco people-watching, while E&O Trading Company, with three Bay Area locations, transforms the big flavors of Southeast Asian cooking into dishes beyond the predictable Thai and Vietnamese preparations.

City Wine Bar Meets Napa Tasting Room

The food and wine mecca of San Francisco continues to present the fineries of gourmet high-style with the simplicity of exquisite neighborhood casual. This certainly comes in the city's restaurants of all sizes and shapes as part of its neighborhood-based identity. Now comes an abundance of local wine bars, where visitors or residents can experience the tasting rooms of Napa and Sonoma wines, Burgundy and New Zealand grapes, and more. These often funky places are not pretentious, but they are knowledgeable. The connoisseur experience is just down the street, with the world at your fingertips.

Not that wine bars are novel, but they are increasingly more prevalent and certainly more accessible to the unitiated. For a "flight" of small quantities of several wines, you can sample a much wider variety than a single winery's tasting room offers out in the Valley. Clearly these venues provide two different types of entertainment -- to go deeper into a single winery's selections or to go wider by experimenting with new and unexpected options at the city wine bar. Yet, while wineries are pushing sales of bottles to go, wine bars offer comfortable seating encouraging lingering and conversation. As a womantraveler, it's good to have the options.

Biking for HIV/AIDS

My friend Tia is biking from San Francisco to LA this week to raise money for HIV/AIDS. Her adventure blog is a stitch -- she's not only a dedicated cyclist and hiker, but she's a wonderful writer and journalist. So I wanted you to be able to share in her adventures -- the FAQ she and her friend developed is really fun! And, if you are so moved, contribute  to her cause. You, go, girl! Here are some chronicles of the other participants. But, Tia, we're awaiting the photos? This one only suggests some of her views...

Napa Valley Wine Train -- All Aboard!

  Of all the great ways to go wine-tasting in Napa Valley, the Napa Valley Wine Train is not only the easiest, but probably the safest. Though casual valley-style, it also turned out to be surprising elegant and a lot of fun. The three-hour trip for lunch or dinner starts in the town of Napa, slowly cruises north along the 1847 railway line to St. Helena and turns around.

Even in the off-season, when the grapes are resting and the air is crisp, it's a beautiful time in Napa Valley -- and the Wine Train special events keep it even more interesting. We opted for a weekday, when the crowds aren't so crazy, and the elegant Gourmet Express experience ($89 each) in the 1915-1917 vintage Pullman and Lounge cars, that over the pricier Vista Dome glass-topped 1947 Pullman. It's an elegant old train, with vaulted ceilings, white table cloths, silver flatware, drapes and ceiling fans. I appreciated the orchid on the table and the upholstered chairs. Totally charming, wonderful eating and generous service. What a lovely way to spend part of a day! After our appetizer and main course, we "repaired" to a club-style parlor car for dessert and sight-seeing. There are two seatings, as on a cruise ship, and well-mannered children will enjoy it, too.

There are several ways to do the wine train. Some people preferred to hang out in the less expensive Wine Tasting Lounge Car (which is open to everyone) or eat more casually a la carte. But from whatever your appetite, there are stunning wine country panoramas, and you don't have to thread along the highways with the tourists hopping from winery to winery.

The hokiest part was the obligatory lecture at the depot before taking off -- a little too Vegas-y. But in the 15-minute talk we we learned that there are 140 different types of soil in Napa Valley (making for a multitude of grape-to-wine options) -- and the perfect way to swirl to get the "wine nose" -- and thus the authentic aromas -- to the top of the glass. Even for afficionados, a good tip to launch the excursion.

Shop Til You Drop in LA

You may have missed the annual end-of-summer Barneys New York Warehouse Sale in Santa Monica, but you don't have to next year with LA's Shopper Shuttle. This service is a dream come true for fashionistas and wannabes seeking to fulfill spending fantasies in a city offering blinding choices and variety. Organized by zones -- a la Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, etc. -- the service will plan a personal shopping itinerary and take you from store to store. Since Los Angeles is so spread out with many distinctive shopping neighborhoods, this is a great way to get started -- or re-indulge once you become familiar with the place. Be sure to check out downtown's Fashion District (the Mulberry Street of the West Coast), Melrose (from Boho to the hippest chic) and Abbott Kinney (contemporary LA Style).

Fog City Escapes: Antiquing in San Anselmo

Under 5 feet of water in the New Year's Eve 2005 flood, San Anselmo in Marin County is more fully alive than ever -- revived as a complete small town and the self-appointed "antiques capital of Northern California" (buttressed by similar accolades from Sunset Magazine). Plus, we are talking really really friendly and with small unique restaurants of impeccable quality, trust me (and see below). For directions, cross the Golden Gate Bridge going north up Hwy. 101 to the Central San Rafael exit and follow the signs west along 3rd Street toward San Anselmo.

Here we spend a couple of hours -- strolling from town square past the hobby shop and barber shop to coffee bars, funky shops and one independent bookstore -- then hearing Sunday afternoon blues in the park. What more, besides casual but high-quality eating, upscale consignment clothing, chocolate to die for and fabulous retro-kitsch shopping could a womantraveler ask for in just a few blocks?

Here are the best finds...

Antiques: more than 110 dealers in four collectives and 25 smaller shops, including familiar East Coast Yankee and Midwest finds to Western Craftsmen styles.

Books: Whyte's Booksmith (415.459.7323) -- always a smart used rack for children and adults out front.

Consignment clothing: Sax's (415.456.7655) is our choice (brand new/once-worn Michael Stars' tanks for $20 resulted from a recent foray).

Gifts: The Pink Geranium (415.456.9284) is our favorite but others include Italian ceramics, homestyle design, flowers and shopping for the upscale dog.

Retro chic: Vintage Flamingo has a truly unique and entertaining eye with a fabulous collection of contemporary women's and men's hats and terrific kitsch -- Elvis, I Love Lucy, Betty Boop, chrome toasters and more stuff from the '40s, '50s and '60s, plus some contempo skirts and tanks.

Restos hot pix:

• Bistro 330 (delicious French)
• Chocolat -- the piece de resistance on important occasions
• Comforts Cafe (lattes, breakfast, lunch, and takeout) -- the best Chinese Chicken Salad anywhere and the scene for breakfast and lunch
• Debbie Does Dessert (and lunch) -- often with jazz on the outdoor deck
• Insalata's -- classy upscale cuisine and wonderful service
• Taco Jane's -- smokey black gold salsa, fresh fish tacos, Mateo polenta cake and bright crayon-color decor, who would want Yucatan/Cuban/California-inspired food anywhere else?

Turkey: the Great Eclipse 2006

Here's the final installment of our 4-part interview with former Washington Post foreign correspondent Joanne Omang on her girlfriends trip to Turkey.

Q: Talk a little about the special experience of going to Turkey for the full eclipse in March 2006.

A: The rational mind says an eclipse is utterly predictable and lasts maybe four minutes if you’re lucky, so why bother to travel to see one? But the whole event takes about four hours and is truly startling and, at a deep level, very eerie.

At first, as the moon begins crossing the sun, the light feels gradually thinner, like winter has come. Each bit of dappled sunlight through tree leaves has an amazing crescent shape, the shape of the light beam coming down.

When the moon at last obscures the entire sun, totality is sudden: the sky turns to midnight, the stars come out and what used to be the sun is a ring of fire around a black disk. A cold wind rises. The birds go nuts (they somehow know it’s not a cloud) and all around the horizon it’s suddenly sunset. Everyone who sees it just gasps.

So much to register, so little time! And in your gut, at a level so deep your rational mind has no power over it, a tiny fear arises: what if it doesn’t come back?  You know this is silly but there it is. It probably goes back to when we were all lizards. When totality ends and the sun gradually returns to its former glory, you can’t help a small feeling of relief. We survived another one!

Islamic tradition recognizes this unsettling reaction. Mohammed told his followers in 632 AD that a solar eclipse was not an omen or the result of anything humans had done but was merely evidence of God’s control over all things. Pray together during an eclipse, he said.

In Turkey I was very lucky to see the March 29, 2006 eclipse at the site in Konya of the tomb of the 12th century Sufi poet and mystic Rumi. His followers are the famed whirling dervishes, and their whirling is a form of prayer: the left hand reaches to the sky and the right toward the earth, and the world revolves as they do. They whirled before, during and after totality, reassuring the rest of us that the earth continued stable on its axis. Any traveler to Turkey should try not to miss seeing the dervishes perform.