If you look up “hidden gem,” you should find a photo of Livermore’s El Chaparrito Taqueria. Don’t let the location deter you. It’s tucked away in an odd building in Springtown, but I knew when my date and I were obviously the only people in the place not fluent in Spanish, that it would be the real deal. We were …
Last week I caught up with my friend Judy, from My Crazy Adventures, and her husband Keith to cycle through the quaint Northern California town of Yountville. If you’re a foodie, you may be familiar with Yountville, home to the French Laundry and a handful of other Michelin-starred restaurants. Although time constraints kept us from enjoying a leisurely dinner at one …
From Mendocino to the Temecula Valley, California’s wine industry continues to expand. According to the Wine Institute by 2017, the state had registered 127 American Viticultural Area’s, or regions recognized for growing grapes. Travel anywhere within the U.S. and you will find California wines on the menu. Living in the Bay Area, we’re lucky enough to be a day trip …
The second of three eateries planned for the Pleasanton Hotel, Lily’s Spirited Dining, pays homage to the town’s fascination with the paranormal. Patrons will be thrilled that the old, musty smells that haunted the building for decades are gone. The dining room, which is to the left when you enter the hotel, now possesses an elegant ambiance that lends itself well for …
As a kid, my family used to pile in the car and drive around looking at holiday light displays. I still love the lights, but as an adult with no kids, I feel kind of odd driving around town “oohing and aahing” by myself. That’s just one of the 150 reasons that being part of a running community is awesome. …
The year was 1933. The place, Smithfield, Utah. Plagued by blight and drought, the Amalgamated Sugar Company was forced to take drastic measures. Rather than closing up shop entirely, the building, made mostly of bricks, was disassembled and moved piece-by-piece via railroad to California, about 8 miles south of Sacramento, where it was reconstructed and in 1935 put back into …
Craft distilleries are nothing new to California, but since Governor Jerry Brown signed the The Craft Distillers Act of 2015 last October, which allows spirits makers to sell up to three bottles per customer in their tasting rooms in addition to operating an on-site bar and restaurant, watch for their numbers to grow. In anticipation of this new trend, I …
Win, place or show. No matter what your preference is, it’s a good bet that you’ll enjoy a day of racing at Berkeley’s Golden Gate Fields. One of the oldest race tracks in California, Golden Gate Fields has showcased thoroughbred horse racing since opening in 1941. From the seats in the grandstand to a table at the Turf Club, there …
Wine, dine and garden? If your weekend agenda sounds similar, forget getting your hands dirty and instead set your GPS to Cornerstone Sonoma. Located at the gateway to Sonoma and Napa counties, Cornerstone Sonoma is a wine country marketplace featuring rotating garden installations, artisan shops, Park 121 Cafe & Grill, a handful of wine tasting rooms and the Sunset Test …