Sleeping Baby, Peaceful Ocean

The Specials and the Maloneys arrived via minivan to our paradise at 1 AM... Their flight was a bit delayed but their spirits were high.  We had happy hour after they got JSS to sleep in his new room...Joe shared rum grapefruit drinks inspired by Ernest Hemingway.  I made some oven s'mores and a beef enchilada dip.  Everyone toasted the start of our vacation, and the boys retreated to the deck that overlooks the ocean with more drinks and cigars.  The rest of us sensible ones went to bed, knowing that there was a lot of promise that tomorrow would be a fun-filled day!

A Florida Christmas!

We are celebrating the holidays  in Florida (1226/15 - 1/2/16) - the 9 of us (Ian had to work).

We are staying at 7950 Manasota Key in Englewood Fl (VRBO 725164).  The property is better than we imagined: clean, spacious, and private!  The two rooms below are living areas - the second pic goes out to the patio area which leads down a path to our private deck on the gulf.

This is a bucket list dream of Shawn's and mine:  to spend a week with our family in a beach house on the Gulf of Mexico.

Wel'll see what we think in a week! 

Palo Alto - Our Last Day

Always fun with Joe!  We walked for miles around the campus and ended our day together, sitting outside at Sancho's Taqueria, and talking about so many fun things!

Another pic from the night before in Joe's studio

Shawn and I loved walking "The Dish" - a 4 mile loop in Stanford's foothills, that is the location for the iconic radio telescope used for research...it's quite the workout, with a major ascent and an awesome view of the Bay and the campus.

A breathtaking approach, on Palm Drive, into the well-known Main Quad., the main entrance to campus.

MBA, year one - it was so good to see him!

GSB

The Knight Management Center, a breathtaking collection of buildings situated in a rectangle, with a courtyard in the middle, is where  GBS classes are held, and was named after alumnus Philip Knight, an alum who founded Nike.

Berkeley, and Stanford!

We had lunch at UCBerkeley...what a beautiful campus (and gritty town).  We enjoyed dining on the famous Sproul Plaza.  Then, we traveled to Stanford and got steps in at the Stanford Shopping Center.  When Joe's day was done, we stopped at the Schwab (yes, as in Charles Schwab/SCHW) Residential Center (where Joe lives) and enjoyed a good Sonoma cab, before heading out to Cibo's (Greek for "gratitude") for dinner.  A perfect day!

In front of the Main Library at UC Berkeley

Looking west - note GGB in the distance...from Sather Tower (the Campanile)

At the Stanford Shopping Center - I found my new gadget!

Pre-dinner (at Cibo's) - drinking a Sonoma cab at Joe's

Trees and Vineyards

We had another banner day knocking around in NorCal today...

We thought we were just starting the morning with a quick visit to Muir Woods. It was so much more than that, as we were overwhelmed with the beauty of this natural "cathedral" of redwoods. The ages of the trees range from 400 to 800 years (we saw one over a thousand years old), their height up to 250 feet. We certainly got our steps in, walking the easy trails that loop around four foot bridges and two levels - of course, there is so much more that we didn't take the time to do (next time!).

Muir Woods National Monument was established in 1908 when President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation to protect an old-growth coast redwood forest from destruction.  So thankful that this area is protected and welcoming to all.

Next, we traveled to two wineries in Sonoma (Jacuzzi and Cline) and then on to Napa (Silverado Winery - owned by one of the Disney daughters).  It is always exciting to try a little vino, but especially to try it in the world famous region for wine growing!

I found the winery - and the wine- that Jamie recommended!

Best Cab ever - our new "friends" from NYC shared it with us ($150/bottle)

Our view from the Silverado winery porch

GGB with my BFF

We checked something off the bucket list today, as we rented bikes and wrote the Golden Gate Bridge!

This morning after a complimentary breakfast at a Best Western, we traveled north from Aptos, CA and found a bike shop (Golden Gate Rides) in the Theatre District, not the popular places near the Wharf, because we wanted to do more than the bridge, we wanted some of the city experience.  It was great because we pedaled through part of the city (Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Lombard St) and then, after 6 or 7 miles, there it was - that popular landmark known around the world, the Golden Gate Bridge!

We biked it over and back and slowly meandered back.  Biking San Fran takes some energy.  One friendly biker who noticed we were pouring over our map at a street corner, helped us out, giving us a few options, noting that one way would allow us to "maintain our current elevation" - we loved that line!

In the late afternoon, we headed via car across the bridge to the Sausalito boardwalk - lots of unique shops, and gorgeous views of the Bay, SF, and the California hills, and a fish dinner.  One for the books!

Stingray catch - this fisherman was skilled and ecstatic!

We worked up a happy hour thirst!

The privileged of Marin County

A Day of Hiking

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve - amazing California state park and walking trail

My walking partner

My fitbit battery was dead - 13,000 wonderful steps unaccounted, but never forgotten!

50 mins south of Point Lobos - another good hiking trail

We spent the day hiking today, and traveling south on the Pacific Coast (Hwy 1, between Carmel and Big Sur's Julia Pfeiffer Burn's State Park).  We saw loud sea lions on distant rocks in the ocean, we saw unique birds and quick lizards, and lots of enthusiastic tourists driving the winding road of one of our most famous and scenic highways.  We ended our day in Aptos, CA, watching the Democratic debate.  I'm so glad to live in this country.