Wisetrips Travel Blog

Today, we had fun trick-or-treating in our neighborhood at the Almaden Winery. Inna dressed as a Blue Monster, and I was Ted  the Bear. Our neighborhood had many well-decorated houses. Alex collected tons of candy, and we had fun exploring the neighborhood at night, seeing all the fabulous costumes.�����������������������������������������������…

We saw Sarah Brightman's Dreamchaser concert at SAP Center in San Jose today. I really liked "La Luna" and "Nessun Dorma" (though Nessun Dorma is written for a tenor - not a soprano voice). I also wanted "Scarborough Fair," the "Phantom of the Opera," and "Time to Say Goodbye." The guest tenor, Erkan Aki , had a voice and was the show's highlight. Th…

Today, we had our lunch at Bouchon Bistro in Yountville, CA. Bouchon Bistro and Bakery is run by the legendary chef Thomas Keller (owner of French Laundry , the only  3 -Michelin-s tar  restaurant in the area). Inna ordered the French Onion Soup  (which was delicious), and I ordered the Carrot and Squash Soup . My  Carrot and Squash  soup was exceptional, too. My Carrot and Squash Soup  both looked and …

Today, we enjoyed exploring the beautiful Benziger Winery in Sonoma, CA. Benziger was the site where I first proposed to Inna - 12 years ago on May 5, 2001. The winery has not changed much; it still looks well cared for and well-groomed. Fall colors are everywhere, with many trees changing colors. We saw many waterlilies and frogs in the ponds surrou…

We had a delicious breakfast and lunch at the Michelin 1-Star-rated  Solbar Restaurant in Calistoga, California. I love the Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup  and have enjoyed them a few times. These are my all-time favorite pancakes anywhere! Inna ordered the "Bodega Bay" - an English Muffin with Dungeness Crab - and it was also delicious! …

We arrived at Calistoga's Indian Springs Resort & Spa  late in the evening, around 11:15 p.m. Given the light traffic, the evening drive was not very exhausting. Luckily, we had just enough time to dip in the hot thermal pool of Indian Springs. Saturday, October 19, 2013 The next day, we got up early and went for a morning swim at the thermal pool. The morning was gorgeous, and we enjoyed the warm water.…