A Week in Wine Country (cont.)

 

A morning among giants at Muir Woods

Day 3

After sleeping in a bit and having breakfast at the rental, we piled into our Audi and set a course for Muir Woods National Monument. Seeing some big trees was at the top of Susan's California list. We had originally thought we might visit Armstrong Redwoods State Nature Reserve (which was a bit closer to our rental), but sadly discovered that they were closed due to wildfire damage. No matter. Muir Woods was within an hour of our home base, and visitors sang its praises.

Keep in mind that you must reserve both parking and ticketing for Muir Woods in advance, as shuttles from nearby lots are not running due to the pandemic. We had reserved our parking and tickets well ahead of time, and we had no trouble finding the location, parking the vehicle, gaining admission, or setting out on the trail. We chose an easy route, taking the main trail through Cathedral Grove and on to Bridge Four, then climbing the steps to the high parallel trail back to Bridge Two, then descending back to the park entrance. This route takes you through some stunning forest along a small creek. (The creek might be larger during other parts of the year. When we were there, California was experiencing drought.) 

Tree hugger!

It's hard to describe this experience. These trees are the tallest living beings on earth, and walking among these giants feels primeval. The clover growing beneath them is as big as the palm of your hand. Occasionally, flowers dot the forest floor where patches of sunlight punch through the dense canopy. Many of the trees on the trail have split trunks that are large enough to stand inside. There's definitely something special about this place. 

After enjoying ourselves for a couple of hours, we made our way back out to the car. Our tummies were rumbling for lunch, and we had a reservation at The Trident in nearby Sausalito! This restaurant had gotten great reviews online, and you could dine with a panoramic view of the bay. We parked in the paid public lot across the street, presented ourselves to the hostess, and were seated on the lovely back dining patio. Views for miles! 

I ordered a bowl of the clam chowder and a side Caesar salad. Delish! Service was very friendly and attentive, and the servers here know the menu well. The sun, the wind, the beautiful bay - This lunch was a great experience. By the end, we'd made friends with the diners at both nearby tables and were chatting with them as we left the restaurant.

 

Beautiful bay views from the back deck of Sausalito's The Trident

We had big plans for the remainder of the day! Caron had never been to San Francisco, so we'd let her plan an afternoon and evening in town for us. We'd pre-paid for some parking in a garage at Pier 39. After carefully stowing our vehicle, it was down to the Buena Vista Cafe for Irish coffees! (This spot is the home of the American version of Irish coffee, which the establishment says was re-created here in the 1950s.) It was a windy day, and the hot, boozy coffee provided a welcome break! 

After that, we headed for shopping in Ghirardelli Square. (Along the way, we mugged for photos in front of the copious street art.) At the shops, we discovered all sorts of goodies - chocolates at the flagship store, but other lovelies, too: unique zippered bags and shea butter hand creams at ElizabethW, fun jewelry and gifts at Lola.

Happy ladies at Pier 39

Once we'd made our purchases, we strolled back through the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park toward Pier 39, where we saw the sea lions, snapped Caron's picture in front of Alcatraz, and shopped for more souvenirs. 

A ham in San Fran

We ended a fantastic day with dinner reservations at Scoma's. Caron's father used to travel quite a bit on business, and he'd told her that Scoma's was his favorite restaurant of any of the eateries in all of the big cities he'd been to. We'd made a reservation in advance, were seated immediately, and tucked into a DELICIOUS dinner. I had a cocktail, then ordered an entree of shrimp and scallops with veggies and rice. (The scallops in particular were perfectly cooked. Divine.) We finished up by splitting a dessert - the torta settevelli. I sliced it into four equal pieces, and it was just enough for each of us to have a few bites of heaven without being overfull. 

Once we'd lingered a bit and then paid, we ambled back to our car in the parking garage and navigated carefully home. 

Day 4

We'd originally planned to spend this morning at Bodega Bay, but the weather forecast on the coast called for chills and wind. Conversely, it was one of the best forecasts we'd had all week for the Sonoma area - sunny, with highs in the 70s. Instead of driving to the coast, we decided to spend a morning in Sonoma Plaza. 

After a large, late brunch at the rental, we headed over. We admired the art and the rose garden in the town square and found AMAZING dresses in Angelique. (I frankly could have spent myself into the poorhouse in this adorable dress shop! So many cute, unique frocks!) There's a cool old movie theatre on the plaza and tons of little nooks and crannies to explore. Blooming jasmine festooned courtyards and archways, and you'd come upon little fountains in surprising alcoves. Just a beautiful day in a beautiful place. 

Stopping to smell the roses in Sonoma Plaza

After shopping a bit, we got back into the car and headed for Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary. We'd booked four concurrent spa packages so we could enjoy the afternoon together. Once we arrived, we relaxed in the spa's flower-filled front garden, lulled by the low sounds of a giant wind chime. The attendant brought us water and a few forms to fill out. Then, we went inside.

We changed into robes and were led to our own tea room with a private garden. The attendant served us tea, explained the treatments, and left us to relax for a bit. Next, we went into a private room (with adjoining private garden) for our cedar enzyme bath. Now, this Japanese treatment is like nothing any of us had ever done before, and this spa is the only one in North America to offer it. You basically sit in a warmed tub of cedar, rice bran, and enzymes for 20-30 minutes. It's soft, warm, and weighted - almost like being buried in the sand at the beach. (I'd be lying if I didn't admit that we *might* not have achieved all of the relaxing effects, as we were giggling like school girls for half the time!) 

Once that was finished, we showered and then went for our massages. (This was honestly one of the best massages I'd ever had.) Then, we retired to the meditation garden for a bit. They have a lovely pagoda and koi pond there, several circular trails for slow walking, and some outdoor hammocks that were perfect for a cat nap. 

The meditation garden at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary

After a while, we sadly agreed it was time to go. We had dinner reservations back in Sonoma Plaza, and plus, we were getting hungry! We popped back to the rental, freshened up a bit, and then made a beeline for Cafe La Haye. This French restaurant maintains a small but delectable menu. I chose a lovely glass of wine and a plate of fish, and I couldn't have been happier. The asparagus was crisp, the potatoes were buttery, and the fish was done to a turn. For dessert, we again shared a salted caramel concoction, and then it was back to the rental. 

Before bed, Caron and I spent a few hours in the hot tub, chatting and sharing. A quick shower, and then it was lights out! 

More to come . . .