The End of an Era in Northern California

It's the end of era for me in San Francisco's East Bay.

For over 11 years I went to weekly wine tastings and traveled up to Napa, Sonoma and Livermore wine country a few times a month.

My house just sold, so with great sadness I'm back in Cali to pack up the remaining items at my ranch styled house.

But I'm ahead 0f schedule so why not one more trip to Napa.

I always love to go up through Silverado Trail and have always wanted to stop by the new tasting room at Paraduxx, a high end wine from Duckhorn that features two ducks on the label. Get it - pair of ducks. This wine is Zinfadel & Bordeaux Blend. The tasting is $10 and features a 3 year vertical tasting. One of most beautiful tasting rooms in Napa.

Friday is packing day - I pick up the U-Haul and head over to the house. Going to take a bunch of my stuff down to Southern California house. Patio Furniture, Weber Grill, Fountain, tools and more misc. items. Looking through things I decide not to haul all my gold records back to New York. So a quick trip to "I Sold It" on EBay and they agree to sell them - the collection includes Sting, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Guns & Roses and Milli Vanilli - collector's item.

My good friend Gary comes by later with a six pack to help me finish and he was a big help getting the patio furniture in the truck (after 4 beers for him & 2 for me) and I'm finished just in time to shower and head over to my old haunt - the weekly wine tasting at Wine Thieves - They Steal Wine so You Don't Have Too!.

Wine Thieves has two locations now - the original on Mt Diable in Lafayette and new location in Clayton on Clayton Road. www.winethieves.com

Tastings now are $1.00, but theirs a great tasting - and had to educate the distributor to pronounce "Meritage" like heritage - The Robert Young Meritage was a good value under $30. I'm exhausted so I head back to the hotel. Good news at the bar the corkage fee is only $15 dollars, so I run to the car and grab a bottle from yesterday's trip to Napa. A 2000 Mt. Veeder Reserve - delightful. And it went well with their brick oven pizza from Grissini's at the Concord Hilton.

Urggh - its early Saturday morning and its time to drive down to LaQuinta, a suburb of Palm Springs. Luckily I've brought my XM satellite boom box to listen to college football.
I'm listening to Michigan State - Illinois - hoping its a better week thant the ND disaster last week. MSU starts strongs, falls behind, ties it up and ILL kicks a game winning field goal with seconds left in the game. Oh well from the other scores I'm doing well in this week's football pool.

Finally make my way down I-5 to 210 E to 10 and there they are - the windmills, which means I'm close...just a few exits to go. The desert is hot, but so beautiful. It still surprises me that I love the area so much because I'm a water person.

My place looks great - time to put some shorts and t-shirts on and un-pack. It's so Hot. But unpacking goes a lot faster. Wow - ahead of schedule again...

And a weekend trip to the desert isn't complete without a trip to TREASURES OF THE VINE A brand new wine shop on the corner of Highway 111 and Washington www.treasuresoftv.com

They have free wine tastings Friday night and all Saturday. And their selection is amazing.
You'll be greeted by Dustin Miller – the buyer/manager of this hip new spot. The owner Lance and often his lovely wife Shannon will be there too for their Saturday tasting Noon – 9:00pm.

Stop in and say Hi to Dustin, Shannon or Lance during your next visit to the Palm Desert-Point Happy LaQuinta Area it’s a great location next to another hot spot Okura Robata Grill - which is where I choose to have dinner - its a frantastic Sushi Bar and of course before I head back it Las be Casuelas Mexican food.

Sunday morning - up at sunrise for 18 at the LaQuinta Mountain course - wow its been two weeks since I've played, but start off with a bogie, par #2 the par 3 over water - 3 iron 190+ yards and its going to be a great day - final result 85 with only 30 putts - Tiger would be proud of my putting effort.

More unpacking - then a quick trip up to the main pool at the LQ Resort & Spa - couple of Modelo's and a Chicken BLT some suntanning and its back to unpacking.

Ahead of schedule again - I get a chance to do some random things to the house in preparation of the busy season. Thanksgiving to May is very busy in the desert. Snow birds, LA hipsters, Movie star and Canadiens - Eh?

It's been a productive trip, but sadly the end of an era for BT in the East Bay of San Francisco.
But I'll be back - often! Cali is in my blood...or is that the wine?

-Brian