High tea in the city

I love going to the city. I used to do so a lot more often than I do now - but it doesn't mean I love being there any less (I just get lazier about fighting traffic on most given days). This past Saturday I spent most of the day in San Francisco. And yes - I even encountered traffic on my way in on a Saturday morning! The occasion was shopping and tea with Mom, my cousin Kathy and my Auntie Mary. It was a PERFECT day with PERFECT weather. 65° yet all was warmed by the bright sunlight. I even felt good about getting to the city since all of us, who live in different cities, carpooled or took public transportation to get there and ended up in 1 car!

The morning began with shopping. Ahh shopping. I don't care what anyone says - shopping in an internationally renowned city such as San Francisco is like nothing else. The selection of products and the concentration of different types of shops cannot be met even in a(nother) large shopping area like San Jose. No less than 10 minutes after leaving the car I'd already made my first purchase and at 50% off too! And with newly acquired Williams-Sonoma birthday gift cards burning a whole in my purse - at stop at the flagship store was eminent. Oooh it's like a candy shop in there for me! But don't worry, I didn't too much damage...

The primary reason for our get-together was for afternoon tea. I LOVE afternoon tea. Though, I doubt this will surprise you very much considering the "girlie-ness" of this blog. I've done afternoon tea in a number of reputable establishments - The Savoy in London, The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco, The Waldorf Astoria in New York City in addition to various Lisa's Tea Treasures around the Bay Area but I'd NEVER been to the Ritz. "High Tea at the Ritz". It just sounds classy and delectable!

Tea in the Lobby Lounge at the Ritz Carlton, San Francisco

It dawned on me that Mom hasn't ever been to afternoon tea. So I decided it was time to kill a couple birds with one stone and gave her the gift of "Tea at the Ritz" for her birthday gift this year. I asked my cousin if she wanted to take her mom too and soon enough we had this fun little day planned. Just two sisters and their adult daughters.

It was fantastic. And while we were all sort of bracing ourselves for the "expense" it really was very reasonable. $36 each for the platter you see above (we were all full) and an entire pot of tea per person after choosing off a list of eighteen! The best part: I mentioned when I made my reservation that the occasion was Mom's birthday and they brought out a complimentary plate of strawberries and vanilla cream! Oh and let's not forget that I finally got to sample some WELL MADE macarons. Banana and chocolate to be exact.

Complimentary strawberries and vanilla cream --- and well made macarons!!

Our trip to the freeway eventually took us past the Painted Ladies in Alamo Square. It's near impossible for me to NOT stop and take a picture when I drive by and today was no different. Clear as a bell with bright sunlight painting the fronts of those beautiful homes.

I love when it's clear enough to see St. Mary's Cathedral and the Transamerica Pyramid

If I only I hadn't ended up humming the "Full House" theme song for the rest of the day...

Great friends in wine country

This past weekend was one of the best I've had in a while. I met a bunch of friends in Napa on Saturday morning for wine tasting and all sorts of other fun that lasted through Sunday afternoon. It was Liz's birthday and Kevin was the PERFECT hubby planning this amazing trip for some of her closest friends to help her celebrate. I think we all live for each others' birthdays these days since we just don't go out like we used to 5-10 years ago. Birthdays seem to be the only times we really get together anymore. I know this will only get harder and harder as we get older so I'm really trying to cherish these times. This past weekend was certainly one worth cherishing...


We all [responsibly!] climbed aboard a shuttle which took us through 4 different wineries Liz had chosen for our group. Kev & Liz even handed out little notebooks and pens so that we could take notes about our wines! (Mysteriously most books had lots of notes at 10:30am and not very many by 3pm).

Frank Family Vineyards - a private tasting arranged for us; Cuvaison Estate Wines - picnic time!


V. Sattui Winery - always crowded, but ever faithful; Grgich Hills Estate - our final tasting

Wine tasting was so much fun and our "hoity-toity picnic" was fantastic. We rounded out the afternoon with some splashing in the pool followed by appetizers and beverages back at our hotel. The weather was perfect by the evening ; holding steady somewhere in the low 70's. We topped off the night with Liz's birthday dinner at Uva's Trattoria in downtown Napa. It was as if fun, friends and well, fluids in one form or another was never-ending throughout the entire day!

Sunday was Liz's actual birthday, yet oddly enough saw one of my requests being granted: a trip to check out the macarons at Bouchon! "Je vous ai dit que je suis obsédée"; I told you that I'm obsessed.

My perhaps delirious, friends (it was 90° that day) told me they liked MY macarons better! While that was incredibly flattering - I actually have to agree that even though I was impressed with the cookie structure... I.... gasp... thought they were a tad bit dry and liked the flavor of mine better. *may Thomas Keller not hunt me down* Chocolate, vanilla, caramel, pistachio and hazelnut - all filled with a butter-cream or ganache of some type. They were not mini size and we couldn't even finish our 5. But that just meant that we could enjoy them back at home too. Oh yah, we also had them throw in a chocolat bouchon too since we WERE at Bouchon. I was so busy sampling $3 macarons that I forgot to try it but heard it was tasty!

I suppose a trip to Napa is not complete (at least for a couple of Foodies present *ahem*) without a drive or stroll by The French Laundry. Sneaking into the garden and catching glimpses of chefs whisking past the windows made me want to eat here again. But I suppose I'll have to start filling my piggy bank at a double-time rate since the price has about doubled since my last visit...

Napa was great. Friends were better. Stepping more than a day away from "life" to hold a glass of wine in my hand, eat great food and laugh with my favorite people - makes these times some of the absolute best.

Year of the Mouse and Dinner in a House

Happy Chinese New Year! Year of the Rat... Gawd that sounds awful doesn't it? I think I prefer saying Mouse...





To celebrate Chinese New Years Eve last night (ok, not really) I FINALLY went to Chez TJ! Chez TJ is a highly regarded, award winning, Michelin 2-star restaurant in downtown Mountain View. It's very quaint in that the restaurant is in an old Victorian house and the diners are seated in different rooms inside the home. Maybe not an entirely polished feel - but still comfortable. I have been wanting to mark Chez TJ off my "Michelin Star List" for literally years and finally made it in JUST before chef, Christopher Kostow's departure to Meadowood in St. Helena. Actually, Chef Kostow has already left ~ as of 2/4 ~ but his menu is still being served for the next week. Chef Bruno Chemel is already on staff but is apparently not serving up his own Chef's Tasting Menu until Kostow's menu finishes running its course. THEREFORE: we were not offered a [12 small course] Chef's Tasting Menu last night ($112) and instead were forced to choose the [4 course] Menu Gastronomique ($80). Forced is a strong word. I've actually come to the realization that when I "super fine dine" I seem to enjoy the food more when I chose my own courses yet enjoy the experience more when I do the Chef's tasting menu. But not like it was a bad experience in the least! Actually it was AMAZING. The service needs some polishing and the amuse bouche was unimpressive but the main courses made up for it! Foie gras and scallops and prawns and beef tenderloin - all prepared exquisitely! It was likely the best piece of beef I've ever eaten...Delish!!