Downtown Ashland Oregon is like a "fairy-land" with twinkling lights decorating every tree, shop and cafe in the center of town. I wish that I could have shown a photo but it goes on for many blocks and it's breathtaking.
We had to wait awhile but we were lucky to get into the popular Italian Restaurant. Being a Saturday night on the weekend of Thanksgiving we considered ourselves fortunate.
We were both very tired and very ready to return to Portland so we crashed early to get a start for the last leg of our drive.
Weather cooperated the entire trip so we're back safely with the car unpacked and laundry already in process. Dinner is on the stove and now we have memories of spending time with friends and family and enjoying a wonderful time in California.
Our drive today was easier than we anticipated with light traffic the entire trip. The drive from Redding to Ashland was beautiful with only a sprinkling of snow on the mountains near Ashland. Shasta has much more snow than last week.
If you happen to be in Redding we found a great coffee shop that serves breakfast and lunch all day. It is near the freeway and the name is Country Kitchen. On this trip we stopped there both times.
Tomorrow it's about a 4 1/2 hour drive to Portland. It was an enjoyable trip to California but going home is always nice, too.
After lunch at Magpie in Sacramento we headed for the hills and drove outside Placerville to visit Apple Hill and Boeger Winery. This is a popular time for people to drive to the mountains to buy fresh picked apples and pears and cut fresh trees for Christmas. It was a pretty sight to see almost every vehicle loaded with a tree on their way home.
We stopped at a huge outdoor market where they sold a large variety of different apples and they featured local crafts and entertainment.
We got lucky with the weather. The forecast was rain but we didn't encounter any on the drive.
Boeger Winery has always been a favorite of ours and Lori, Pam and I used to participate in a holiday fair each December where we sold our seasalt. It was nice to visit with the owner's family and we tasted some delicious wine. The vineyards are golden yellow and orange so the rolling fields have a beautul glow of colors.
Pam purchased a Boeger Rose that we took to "Tapas", a downtown Sacramento Spanish Restaurant where we enjoyed dinner.
Now it's almost time to pick up Bella at Lori and Pam's and head to Ashland. It has been a wonderful week, introducing Roger to friends and family and enjoying the California sunshine.
Today started early at Mike's and Teresa's country home with Roger in the kitchen preparing the turkey and stuffing.
The second photo shows the results and everyone agreed that it was cooked to perfection.
Teresa, Jessica, Lori and Pam each took part in the food preparation and the list is too long to share but the combined efforts resulted in an amazing meal.
Today we drove to Sacramento to pick up the turkey that Lori ordered for tomorrow's dinner so it's iced in a cooler and ready for tomorrow morning's preparations. We had hoped to visit two of Lodi's most impressive new wineries but both were closed and only open on weekends so we ended up having a relaxing afternoon.
Lenis and John treated us to wine, appetizers and dinner so we had a great time catching up on what's happening in all of our lives.
Tomorrow the day starts early when we get to Mike and Teresa's and prepare the turkey for the oven. We're really looking forward to a special day with family.
Today we enjoyed visiting with special friends, the Petruccis and the Reagors.
This morning we left Oakland and we arrived in Lodi before noon. When we checked into the Wine & Roses Inn we were upgraded to a special spa room so we're enjoying an elegant huge room for two nights.
This afternoon we visited Barbara at Bora Winery and did some wine tasting. Then this evening we were guests for cocktails at the Reagors followed by dinner at Wine & Roses.
Now it's time to be lazy and enjoy the beautiful California weather.
Today was a work day for me so we started out at Bonhams and Butterfields this morning to pick up and pack my auction purchases from the October and November auctions. I had forgotten which items I purchased so it was exciting to see the beautiful things that were waiting for me.
Then it was time to introduce Roger to my favorite cafe in S.F., Perry's. Unbelievably, we found a parking place directly in front of the cafe and we had a perfect table for two in the front of the restaurant. Afterward Bella had an opportunity to go for a walk and get attention from everyone on the street.
Our second stop was Harvey Clars in Oakland to pick up more sterling and then we headed for 4th Street in Berkeley. The weather today was perfect in the high 60s with bright sunshine so we enjoyed walking and doing some window shopping.
Tomorrow we are looking forward to the drive to Lodi and visiting more friends.
Alma Friedli was a special lady - this is the day she was born 97 years ago. She was a kind and loving woman and there are so many happy memories. SO - here's a toast to you, Mom Friedli for raising two special sons and being a wonderful Grandma and friend.
We're staying in the Oakland Hills so tonight we have a view from the San Mateo Bridge all the way to Berkeley. I tried to get some good photos but I wasn't pleased with their quaility so I'll try again tomorrow. We broke the trip into two days but it's still surprising how tiring the drive can be. But - it's worth it all to reconnect with long-time friends and seeing family for Thanksgiving.
Today the drive was beautiful with just a sprinkling of snow between Ashland and Shasta. The road was wet but clear so we were able to make good time.
Today was sunny the entire trip and it's nice to see sunshine again.
We're in Ashland for the night. It has steadily rained all day but so far we haven't seen snow. The forecast is snow at 3,000 feet so we may encounter some between here and Shasta. We've allowed extra travel time just in case. Even with the rain it was a beautiful drive so we're looking forward to the second lap of the trip.
We opted for a budget hotel tonight since we're here to just rest and move on early in the morning. We hit the jackpot - $82 for the night and no extra charge for Bella. We're at a La Quinta Inn so it's not fancy but it appears to be fairly new and the room is darling with state of the art heating and computer access. Definitely a good bargain - so we plan to stay here again on the way back to Portland.
We had plenty of time to prepare for this trip, but somehow everything ended up being done at the last minute. Bella is groomed and clipped with rhinestones in her hair, my manicure is fresh, clothes are organized, and all that "stuff" that we seem to need when we travel is ready to put in the car.
Our trip may become a challenge because of the large amount of snowfall in the mountains during the past week. We'll take blankets, water and snacks and see how it goes.
Saturday we'll head for Oakland to visit an old-time friend of Rogers, then Sunday is reserved for the Lutzs. Monday I'm going to Bonham's in S.F. and Harvey Clars in Oakland to pick up auction purchases and then Tuesday and Wednesday we'll be in Lodi to visit friends and family. Thursday we'll get to see Mike and Teresa's new country home and enjoy Thanksgiving (I don't have to cook - so I'm very thankful - (smile) ) Friday we've reserved for Pam and Lori so a trip to Apple Hill or Truckee is being planned - then it will be time to return to Portland. You can expect some snow photos tomorrow..............
Today Pat invited me to join her for a new dining experience at the "Hands on Cafe" located at the Oregon College of Art and Craft. The cafe is small and pretty much "self serve". Their specialty is Sunday Brunch but they also serve lunch and supper daily. The cafe is on the campus of a studio school of art. I ordered meat loaf stuffed with caramelized onions and bleu cheese (fabulous).
After we finished lunch, we toured their juried student exhibition and then we stopped by the gift shop that features a large variety of crafts made by college alumni. We viewed some beautiful items ranging from metal work, to pottery, jewelry, silk scarves, paper and wood products. Each piece is an original hand crafted item so it was exciting to see many beautiful things made by Oregon artisans.
This morning we took a short drive to check out the Chanukah Gift Fair held at the Neveh Shalom Temple here in Portland. We were invited by our friend Judee who specializes in wearable art. She selects fine quality unusual fabrics and screen prints original designs onto the fabric - then she sews handbags, scarves, and clothing. She also specializes in transforming older style clothing into something new and original. I try to attend all of her open houses because she works with other artists who make original designs with hand blown glass, ceramics, jewelry and photography. There were about 30 artists and vendors today so there were many beautiful things to see. Check out her web site at:
http://www.judeemoonbeam.com
This afternoon I had a new experience; that of bidding at a live auction over the telephone. I've seen others do it for years so I decided that it was time that I learned how to do it. I was connected to the Bonham's auction in S.F. and over the speaker phone I could relay my bids to a person who bid on my behalf. I won three lots today so there will be even more silver to pick up when we get to S.F. next weekend.
It's Friday night so Allison, Rae, Roger and I decided to start the weekend by visiting the Uptown Billiard Club for an Early Bird Dinner. Their five course meal features pumpkin this month so each of the courses had pumpkin as an ingredient.
The courses included Bisque, Endive Salad, Pheasant, Short Ribs and Creme Brulee, each served with a different Oregon wine so we have very full tummies this evening. We enjoyed talking about all of our Thanksgiving plans; Rae in San Diego, Allison in Sun River and Roger and me in California so we'll all be on the road during the coming weeks.
I haven't blogged for awhile and generally I start receiving e-mails and phone calls asking if everything is OK - so the purpose of today's blog is to say "yes" everything is fine. I took a picture of the trees outside the back balcony so you can see that Fall has arrived with an array of beautiful colors. About half the leaves are already gone from the trees outside and as I walk through downtown, I see many trees that are already completely bare. We've had rain for the last two days so the streets are covered with a blanket of huge multi-colored leaves.
Roger and I are busy preparing for our drive to California. We'll leave here Nov. 20th, stay the night in Ashland and then head to San Francisco to visit the Lutzs and a friend of Roger's who lives in Oakland. After picking up some antiques that I've purchased from Bonham's in S.F. we'll arrive in Lodi the night of the 23rd. That gives us two days to visit friends and show Roger around the area.
Thanksgiving Day will be at Mike's place in the country (He and Teresa recently moved) - then we'll spend a day or so in Sacramento before starting the trek back to Portland. Bella is coming with us so I've had the challenge of finding lodging that will allow a dog in the room, however, it has actually been easy. Hotels are becoming more "pet friendly" these days.
This Thanksgiving is extra special because it will be the first with Roger and Mike's new family. It truly is a year for thanks as we blend our families. Of course, Ashley will always have the #1 place in my heart but now my number of grandchildren has grown to include Rachel, Tony and Jessica and her husband, Ryan.
Today I enjoyed a new experience; that of being a teacher. The Oasis Learning Center provides a large selection of classes for senior adults and they have a fabulous computer center. I was asked to teach a class on how to buy and sell on eBay.
I had five students and they were all fabulous people. They all knew enough about basic computer operation so we were able to get to work quickly. All five are serious about selling (mostly stuff they have on hand that they want to get rid of) and they were all excited and motivated by the end of the class.
I started out a little nervous but I found that it was really fun sharing my experiences and helping teach new skills.
Tonight is "girls night" so at 5:30 I'll head upstairs for wine and then we'll walk next door for an early dinner.
70 years ago today my parents went to Reno to get married. My father had been previously divorced and my mother was a spinster at the age of 30 so this was the most practical way for them to start a new life. They were both very special people and I am so fortunate to be their child. There are so many wonderful memories and I loved them with all my heart - how I wish that I could hug and kiss them one more time........
