Napa, San Jose, and a Surprise

There are very pictures in this post because it was a more mellow day.  The Pictures we did take are on Josh's camera and can not be seen until he gets them developed...because his camera uses film for those of you who only know digital...those pictures will be shared at a later time.

Napa Valley as always was a wonderful experience.  We started the morning by having breakfast at a place called “French Blue.”  The flies however kept us from enjoying our meal outside, but the dining room was open and decorated in mostly white.  The open kitchen housed a wood-burning oven, which produced this amazing bread that the chef soaked in onions, garlic, and thinly sliced tomato.  The result is this piece of heaven, where the inside is moist and flavorful, but the outside is crispy and caramelized. You put an egg on top of that and it’s probably the best breakfast Josh or I have ever had.  We also had a chorizo homemade by the chef, which tasted of cinnamon and nutmeg.  It was just the right kind of meal one should partake in before going on to some wine tasting.

Napa Valley Wine Train

The first winery we stopped at was St. Supery.  This was our best decision of the day because our server was an older gentleman, who’s name has escaped me, that knew more about Napa Valley and the wines that are created there than any other person in the whole world.  We chose four wines to taste, but in good fashion he let us taste two extras, including the most delicious moscato.  We bought two bottles, of course, and headed on our way, but not before Josh took a few pictures of the vineyards.  Our second stop and final stop was Turnbull, which on my last visit was my favorite, however, nothing could top St. Supery at that point.  The wines at Turnbull were tasty, but nothing so good as to purchase.  Unfortunately we had to head south to San Jose, where Josh would see his aunt again after 15 years. 

It’s nice to visit families on these trips because it’s like going home, even when home is very far away.  Josh’s aunt is a tiny lady, but her spirit fills the room.  Smiles and laughter were plentiful and everyone was very interested in our trip; where we had been and where we would head next.  They pointed us in the direction of Yosemite National Park and a small town right outside where we could spend the night. 

Family Reunion 

While following the directions on my phone I zoomed in to see our destination, only to realize that all of Josh’s dreams were about to come true.  Directly across the street from our hotel would be an In-n-Out Burger.  We checked into the hotel, but before even going to our room, we hit up the drive thru.  The very intuitive woman at the front desk of the hotel suggested that Josh try his French fries “animal style.”  This is one of the “secret menu” items that you may have heard of if you’ve ever heard of someone going to an In-n-Out Burger.  “Animal Style” entails adding cheese, sautéed onions, and Thousand Island dressing to the fries.  It was amazing!  

Sleeping in a queen size bed was the second amazing thing we did that night.