Searching for sunshine and Kir Royale in San Francisco

I adapted myself to the country life style. I became conventional  country girl, happily wearing casual clothes, comfortable shoes and enjoying my beautiful garden. Not for a second do I regret being a country girl, yet... There are days when I am dreaming about civilization.  

When I feel like my life should have drowsed away somewhere in the city, I drive to San Francisco, park my car at the Sutter and Stockton garage, and go for a walk. On this particular day in April I walked up Mason street to my favorite Huntington Park, which is always full of friendly people and their running around the fountain dogs.

In search for sunshine I took the elevator to the 19th floor of the InterContinental  Mark Hopkins Hotel and ordered a glass of Kir Royale Champagne.  

In the first flush of feeling that the Kir Royale is good and the world is mine,  I took a few pictures of the city from the window :)

"The girl and the fig" for Sunday Brunch

Good wine and good food lately became my first philosophy, a lovely code to live by :)

Nestled in the historical center of Sonoma (in the Sonoma Hotel and just a block away from the Barracks with their famous copy of Bear Flag), "The girl and the fig" restaurant is a favorite of both locals and tourists. The restaurant is known for its passion for French food and a wine cellar full of local wines.

I chose the restaurant for our Easter Brunch almost accidentally, and I was not disappointed. The entire place projects welcome and country-easy comfort. Julie Higgins is a resident artist and her colorful paintings add extravagant beauty to the place, and even special flavor to the dishes.       

The brunch menu is impressive in its variety and a strong French accent :) I ordered and enjoyed soup and house-cured salmon, my husband decided on mussels, frites and eggs benedict. Everything was delicious.

Here are a few pictures of Sonoma from the day -

Sonoma Barrel Tasting: Where Young Wine Meets Young Girls

On a lovely yet cloudy weekend in early March my husband, I and two of our dearest friends were driving wine roads of Sonoma County, visiting wineries and sipping young wines right from barrels. It was our idea of celebrating spring with fun and a touch of local wines.  

The event, it's safe to say now, was a great success. Barrel tasting extravaganza is a unique opportunity to talk tete-a-tete with winemakers, listen to their stories, and buy futures of your favorite wines. 

But it came as a big surprise for me to learn how many very young girls attend these kind of events, and how so-over-much they like to celebrate their birthdays on the wine road tours.

Here is my kaleidoscope of images of the 35th Annual Sonoma Barrel Tasting -