Glorious Sunshine!

MUIR WOODS
My brother, Davy, and I spent Saturday exploring Muir Woods and Muir Beach Overlook. The sun was shining and temps were in the 70s....absolutely perfect!





This picture features Davy standing next to a fallen Redwood Tree.

Wow, now that's a large tree trunk!

Being silly...I couldn't resist!

Muir Beach Overlook...breathtaking views of the Pacific!

Wa-hoooo!!!

NAPA VALLEY

Mike's been working non-stop, so we took advantage of the break in his project and visited Napa on Monday. While I don't drink wine, I still enjoy being the "DD" and taking in the beautiful scenery. Our first stop of the day was the famous Robert Mondavi Winery.

The vines have sprouted within the past two weeks according to the experts at Mondavi.

Check out the teeny-tiny grapes...so small!

First tasting of the day...cheers!

The roses were in full bloom all over Napa...so gorgeous!

This rose makes me wish I had a garden.

Second stop of the day was to Sutter Home. They didn't have a scenic property; however, Sutter Home was a hot spot for the tourists...an entire bus load!

Being that we're on a tighter budget while I'm in between jobs, we decided to pack a picnic of cheeses, meats and crackers and take in the beauty of Lake Hennessy.

Have you seen the movie "Bottle Shock"? Me neither. But Mike has and apparently all wine lovers have seen the film too. The movie is about the early days of California wine making featuring the blind Paris wine tasting of 1976. Wines from the Chateau Montelena Winery won the contest and the Chateau has been a landmark ever since. Scenes from "Bottle Shock" were filmed at the Chateau and in Sonoma. Here are a few pics of the property.

We can't visit Napa without a stop at our favorite winery, Castello di Amorosa. The tour/tasting is rather pricey (although fantastic and something we'll have you expereiece when you visit) so we opted for just a tasting. The fields surrounding the castle were BEAUTIFUL! Look at those gorgeous red flowers growing among the vines.

The property houses several animals including this peacock.

Our last stop of the day was to Castello di Amerosa's sister property, V. Sattui Winery. We plan to make this our next lunch spot when we visit Napa again. It has a wonderful deli with delicious cheeses, meats and prepared foods. Plus, they have plenty of picnic tables to dine the afternoon away on their pretty property.

SAUSALITO

I had an interview Tuesday morning but mine and Mike's afternoons were free, so we headed across the Golden Gate to the picturesque town of Sausalito.

This is us driving down our street (once we've popped up over the hill)...you can see the Marina District and the Bay.

If you're not in a driving mood, you can take the ferry to Sausalito.

View of the city from Sausalito.

Sausalito reminds me a bit of Charleston...it's a small, seaside community with waterfront dining, trendy boutiques and picturesque views.

We stopped for a sweet treat at Lappert's Ice Cream....delicious!!

I love how the homes dot the hillsides.

We really enjoyed walking along this path.

As you know, I'm a Christmas fanatic and love year-round holiday stores. I was in heaven when we came across this lil' gem called The Holiday Shoppe. They had a funky, colorful tropical theme in one of the windows. Aren't these mermaids hilarious?