When I sat down to write about my experience attending an Italian cooking school called Tuscan Women Cook, I honestly struggled with where to begin. There were so many incredible experiences, new friends, Italian hospitality and food and wine so good it could make you cry, which makes describing it all a challenge! We visited historic churches and cathedrals, family wineries, cheese and wine shops, local restaurants, walled medieval cities and managed to take a shopping trip or two!
La Chiusa – A dreamy destinationA rustic stone wall of rooms at La Chiusa where we spent the week.An unedited photo of a basket of golden zucchini blossoms on the colorful patio of La Chiusa!
Where to find the most amazing restaurants in San Francisco – We did all the “work” for you!
Searching for popular restaurants in the cities where we travel is one of my favorite activities! Every food and travel blogger likes to offer his or her own take on where to go, but more often than not, there are so many to choose from that their choices may not even be on my list. So… I wanted to share my current “favorites list” for the most amazing restaurants in San Francisco.
My husband Craig’s company is located in the Bay Area and working there is just part of his routine. So luckily for me, we have been traveling to San Francisco for quite some time. However, the restaurant scene of today is far more sophisticated and creative and dining out is more popular than it ever has been.
As hungry diners, our choices now are nearly infinite in the City by the Bay. Local chefs create original, tasty food that makes your heart sing and fulfills the current foodie frenzy. It seems that everyone is following the food and restaurant news and a laser-focused interest in popular cuisine is at an all time high.
This is just a portion of the long, long table of happy diners at our farm to table dinner with Outstanding in the Field in Big Sur.
“We are Outstanding In The Field: Setting tables at the source of ingredients, serving from farm to table across the country.”
Last year’s Outstanding in the Field dinner in Santa Cruz.The Santa Cruz dinner. You can’t even see the end of the table!
Last year we attended an Outstanding in the Field farm to table dinner on the beach, at the Secret Sea Cove, in Santa Cruz, at the longest dinner table you have ever seen. The sunset unexpectedly turned bright pink as we ate crab and avocado salad, drank buttery Chardonnay and talked with guests from around the world.
“Since 1999 we have set the long table at rural farms and urban gardens, on mountain tops and in sea caves, on islands and ranches. Occasionally the table is set indoors: a beautiful refurbished barn, a cool greenhouse or a stately museum. Wherever the location, the theme of each dinner is to honor the people whose good work brings nourishment to the table.”
A perfect afternoon in Big Sur with Nick and Kylie
Really, they do. Dreams do come true. In just a few weeks, I will be traveling to Italy to attend the Tuscan Women Cook culinary program in the Tuscan hill town of Montefollonico. I am so grateful for the invitation from Rhonda and Coleen, the two Southern California entrepreneurs who purchased this unique, established cooking school about one year ago.
Coleen and Rhonda
Coleen and I connected through an article that I had written and have been fast friends ever since. I plan to share my experience in Italy through video, right here on the blog and through other midlife travel bloggers. So please check here and on Instagram, as well as Facebook for some fun photos and juicy details. For this trip I will be traveling without my empty nester partner Craig, but will try to enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity. (LOL) Are you kidding? I can hardly sleep!
I have loved to cook since I was a young girl and having the opportunity to learn from real Italian nonni (grandmothers in Italian) and cooking their personal recipes is immeasurable.
Blue Duck Tavern Pecan Roll – Tasted even better than it looks!
Just several of the many great restaurants in Washington D.C.
When the list of great restaurants in Washington D.C. contains at least one hundred possibilities, how do you choose? I know…first world problems, but seriously it wasn’t easy!
Just down the road from the Griffith Park Observatory is a cute little shop with delicious Mediterranean food created by two clever chefs, Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson. I was familiar with Kismet only from reading popular food and wine magazines, as well as a recent glowing review by the Pulitzer Prize winning, food critic, Jonathan Gold of the Los Angeles Times.
The meal began with these “snacks” ~ #1 Sourdough Bread Soup, #2 Tandoori Madeleine, #3 Radicchio Spring Roll
I think it was for sure my best dinner in Los Angeles. No contest.
Yes – it’s true. This may have been my Best Dinner in Los Angeles ~ maybe my favorite meal ever. Whoa – BIG statement. Don’t forget that I have been to the French Laundry in Napa and thought that dinner was my favorite. Those are some big shoes to fill.
Trois Mec, roughly translated, means “three guys” in French. So three guys, who happen to be accomplished and now famous Los Angeles chefs, created this one of a kind restaurant. I have known about it since it opened, but this was not an easy evening to put together. We lived in Orange County which is located about 90 minutes to 2 hours each way (only because of typical Los Angeles traffic) plus, the reservation is not easy to get.
It actually isn’t a reservation at all, but a ticket, a golden ticket. Every other Friday, they release about 30 seats for two seatings each night. The meal is pre-fixe and you pay in advance. Sounds a little sassy and daunting doesn’t it?
Hands down, no joke, the best view in San Francisco ~
Just a couple of days ago, we visited Point Bonita Lighthouse and thought we had enjoyed the best vistas of San Francisco. But once again, our personal local tour guides, Nick and Kylie, have struck San Francisco gold and really showed us the best view in San Francisco! This is a very tall order (pun intended) because everywhere you look, this unique city shows off its beauty. Many of the tall downtown buildings have incredible bars and restaurants on the top floors offering spectacular views.
However, the view from Cityscape is 360 degrees of wonder. Because of the recent perfect weather and crystal clear skies it allowed us to see for miles and miles! No detail was too small and every hill, every bridge, every street light, every street, every landmark and the ocean seemed so close you felt you could touch it.
I have a foodie buddy, her name is Keri and I have known her since I was 12. Yep, 12. When we moved back to Pasadena, it gave me the chance to reconnect with some wonderful longtime friends. It feels so food to slip right back into a friendship even after not spending much time together in decades.
Keri and I plan food adventures to try restaurants we have not yet had a chance to visit. She and I have so many things in common that this process is simple. We pick a place, set up a time to visit, try a few dishes and discuss. We even allow a little driving distance because the traffic doesn’t bother us, we always have lots to talk about so the time flies!
Our most recent adventure was to have breakfast at Sqirl. Cute and clever name isn’t it? When I lived in Orange County, this type of trip to LA would have been such a traffic nightmare that I never could have driven to this spot for breakfast. Living in Pasadena is such an advantage when it comes to eating at great places in Los Angeles.
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