Santa Cruz Wine & Crab Taste Off 2012

Back in January, Erik and I decided to venture out to the ocean and check out Santa Cruz. It was a rather rainy cold day, but we still had fun.  I think that we attract rain every time we go wine tasting. Back in April we went to Illinois wine country and it rained, in November we went to Healdsburg and it rained, and now in Santa Cruz, it rained. But we did not let that dampen (hehe) our mood.

We first went to brunch at a local place, Zachary's.  It definitely lived up to its Yelp reviews and fortified our tummies for the wine tasting awesome that was happening that afternoon (I think 30+ wineries were represented).

Next, the Boardwalk. I have a feeling that this may be a better adventure when it is NOT raining outside, but we got the general feel for the place.  I was sad that none of the stuff was open.  I was looking forward to riding rides built in the 1920s.  At any rate, according to my guidebook, it was built in 1907 and is the only boardwalk left on the West Coast. (sad face) It also is the oldest amusement park in California, which reminds me that we need to go to Great America before it closes to build the new 49ers stadium (right behind our neighborhood).

Two things. 1) My husband is awesome and 2) They have fried Twinkies in California. You'd think with all the regulations forcing people into healthy living that these would be banned, but no, it is a boardwalk afterall.

From the pier. If only it were a sunny day...

One of the largest 4 remaining classic merry-go-rounds in California. These horses are hand carved and have real horse hair tails.  Apparently, the 342-pipe organ in the center is a rare 1894 Ruth Und Sohn band organ.

Entertaining kiddos since 1911
Built in New Jersey

Four generations of Marini's have made the salt water taffy here since 1915.

After braving it in the "cold" we headed a little further south to Aptos where the wine and crab festival began. Here's a link to 2013's event. We had a great time as always.  This event was particularly fun because the restaurants were competing to get the best dish.  With our tickets, we each got 2 appetizers at both restaurants we selected to visit. We met some fun people, drank some excellent wine (and won a wine tour at a local vineyard!), and tasted some delicious food.

We wore dark clothing because it was a wine tasting after all (and people throw elbows to get their pours -- I'm not joking). The view at Sanderlings at Seascape Beach Resort was amazing. This place may end up being a nice little weekend get away for us this summer.

Workin' it.

Could he get any cuter?! I think not.

NorCal Adventures: Pier 39 in SF

Me, Carlos, & Erik
Doesn't it look like Carlos is my boyfriend and E photo-bombed? LOL
Yes, that's Alcatraz behind us.

Almost 2 months ago (Jan. 7), E and I went into San Francisco (for the first time since moving here) to see our friend, Carlos, who was visiting with his family. It was so great to see a friend from NYC and it was a great study break/ excuse to see the great city of San Francisco. It was a little embarrassing to admit that we hadn't gotten up that way yet seeing as we are so close (40 minute drive close).

So, here's one little site from that site-seeing trip. Pier 39. According to my handy little "fascinating facts" book (btw, it does not even come close to comparing to Inside the Apple.  I would love to write a similar book about San Francisco. There should be a book that thorough yet approachable about every city. The Inside the Apple may even be a book that has "changed my life" status.), "[s]hortly after the 1989 earthquake, most of San Francisco's seal lion population moved from Seal Rocks just beyond the Cliff House to take up residence at Pier 39 on the bay." (no page citation because the book is neither in a discernible order (alphabetical by location is dumb if you don't know what you are looking at!) nor is it paginated). What's really cool is that we were randomly there during the most populous time for the sea lions.  In January, it gets up to 600 sea lions whereas in June/July, they almost disappear when they head south to breed.

Pier 39 draws about 10 million visitors a year and became really popular starting in 1990.

It was cool to hear the sea lions bark and to watch them fight.  The older (we're guessing they were older because they were bigger) sea lions chilled out while the young ones yelled and wrestled each other into the water.

This is hard to believe, but according the book, Pier 39 is the 3rd most popular destination in the country behind Disney World and Disneyland.  Really?! That just doesn't sound possible.

The merchants on the pier were originally wary of the "polluting" sea lions but from the looks of it, they appear to be over that.

SF from the pier.

Joseph D. Grant County Park

Yes, that's my husband giving a thumbs up!

Almost a month ago, Erik and I decided to up the ante and go on a long moderate hike. We had been working out for 2 weeks so 7.4 miles shouldn't be a big deal, right? Yeah.... we survived. But I was definitely sore for several days! I think the toughest part of this hike was driving up to the park entrance. It was seriously the most afraid I've been on a mountain road here. There were no railings, no shoulder and the road just dropped off.  I was trying not to act too panicked so I didn't freak Erik out while he was driving.

The hike was totally worth it though. We picked Joseph D. Grant County Park (#45/60), a moderate balloon course on dirt fire road, because it was supposed to be an "awesome winter hike".  It took us almost 4 hours and is not recommended for summer ("unless you favor dehydration"). There wasn't much shade, so I could totally see that. We were pretty hot and it was JANUARY.  Seriously, I know this is a strange winter for everyone, but the weather here has been ridiculously amazing.

Start of the trail. You can almost make out Lick Observatory at the top of the ridge (Mount Hamilton).

Wishing I wore some makeup....

Start of our journey -- Hotel Trail

Wildlife on Grant Lake

The only shaded part of our hike.  There is oak, eucalyptus (love!) and coyote brush.

One thing that freaked me out about this part of the hike is that "wild pigs" frequent this part of the trail.  You read that right. WILD. PIGS. Here's the book's instructions: "Should you come across pigs, be sure to give them a wide berth. Their eyesight and hearing are poor, so they might not see you—give them a good holler and raise up your arms to look big, and they should be on their way." Right... Erik was entertaining thoughts of stabbing wild pigs with his knife... I told him that I would run away and leave him for dead. Sorry, but really? A knife against a wild pig? No sense in both of us dying a gory death.  I mean, you've seen Silence of the Lambs (one of them), right?

It's just so beautiful here. The sky is really that blue.

We kept thinking we hit the peak of the hike (3.7 miles of it was uphill).   This is us realizing notsomuch.

You can see the trail snaking up and to the right.

A hawk!

I LOVE LOVE this photo! We made a photo calendar this year, and I'm thinking this one is going to be January 2013.

Erik looks cute. Me? Not really but at least I was getting a tan. Did I mention this was in January?

Also, notice Lick Observatory in the background (back right).

More wildlife

And... more hawks.

That's where we started. You can see the bathrooms at the trailhead to the mid-left of the photo.

We almost made it through unscathed. That gate came out of nowhere! Erik almost lost his hand. Okay, not really. But he was pretty worried about infection.

All in all, it was a pretty fabulous day followed by a pretty fabulous party where I met a new friend (who has an event planning business called Fete Fabuleux!).  Yay for making my first real friend in Silicon Valley! I'm soooo pumped!

ATP Release @ Ridge

So this weekend adventure isn't so much an "adventure" and isn't so much part of the "weekend".  The first Friday of everything month, Ridge (as blogged about here and here) holds a special event for its ATP members where we can pick up the current release and do a wine-tasting not only of that month's wine, but of other wines too.  So far, after 4 months of membership, we've really enjoyed all the wines we've received. We get 4 bottles and usually drink 2 and "cellar" 2. Cellar is in quotes because we have a 30-bottle wine fridge and that's where we store our wine (which we physically drove our wine across the country). Yes, we're serious about this stuff.

This past Friday was the first pick-up event we've been able to go to because they are from 4-7pm, and it's hard to get out of work that early.  Since I'm working/studying from home, we were able to go (and hopefully get to go in March too!). ATP stands for "Advanced Tasting Program".  As members, we get bottles of small production "test" wines.  This week's wine was from a production of only 33 barrels! That's just crazy town. And they are all reasonably priced!  I would say that this is one of the best membership programs we've been a part of. Between this and Willams Selyem, we're happy winos.

During the pick-up event, we tasted a vertical of this "Old School" wine from 2003, 2006 and 2009 (which is the one we picked up) as well as two barrel samples.  There were light hors d'oeurvres as well.  It was a lot of fun (minus the scary windy drive to get up there at twilight).  We are so very fortunate to live how and where we do. We actually remark to each other daily (for realz) how happy we are with our little life here. Our cats are happy, we are happy and the weather is nice.

Anyway, some photos from our Friday:

Heading towards the mountains at sunset

So much potential.
What a great shot, right?!!

This photo effect didn't make the cut for my febphotoaday, but I still liked it so I had to use it here.

Santa Clara County through the trees

Santa Clara County
I like the shadow effect of the vine to the left of the bush.

Clear shot.

Tasting room at night

Learnin' to Fly (#1)

I have to be honest.  The idea for my #1 on my 30 Before 30 list was a Groupon for flying lessons that came across my email while I was living in NYC.  At the time, I was like, why not?  And then work got in the way, of course.  Anyway, now that I have weekends (well, this one may have been my last before the bar exam), I thought it would be perfect to do.  Fortunately, Groupon cooperated and had another special. So in December, I purchased flying lessons for the bargain price of $169.  I sort of just bought the lessons without thinking through the fact that I would be UP IN THE AIR thousands of feet above the ground where I could plummet to my death if something went awry.  This did not enter my mind until I was in the flight simulator part of my lesson (good timing, right?).  At that point, it was too late because we were already walking to the plane.

For those of you that knew me in high school, me taking flying lessons would crack you up.  I was the girl that took drivers' ed at 16 and didn't get my license until almost 4 months after my 17th birthday.  I was rather busy in high school (extracurriculars and whatnot) and had a boyfriend who was a year ahead of me and thus could drive me to school too.  I also was the girl that burst into tears when her drivers' ed instructor told her to turn on the car.  Yes, this same girl flew a freakin' airplane on Saturday (and started the propellers all by herself)!

I should also note that my hubby is deathly afraid of flying.  He gets very nervous/ anxious in commercial planes.  I'm SHOCKED that he came up into the plane with me.  I'm also very proud of him.  He made a decision that he didn't want to miss me crossing something off my "bucket list" (that's what we call it to people we don't know. 30 Before 30 is harder to explain).  What a sweet guy and good for him.

So, the photos.

Me in front of the 4-person plane (so tiny!).

Erik while we were loading up.

The instructor was going through pre-flight stuff while I was so responsibly getting my photo taken.

The feeling of being in the air is indescribable (at least by me).  It was so peaceful up there.

We flew at sunset, which was perfect.

SFO
Doesn't this look like one of the sentry robots from the Matrix?

Me flying without the instructor's help.  Watch out for hills!!

Downtown SF

Golden Gate Park

Focusing.  You can see the Golden Gate Bridge in the background to the left.

Golden Gate Bridge

Alcatraz at 2,000 ft.  I was surprised at how built up it was.  Not sure why that was surprising...

SF

Getting ready to land

We made it!

I am SO SO THANKFUL for this experience.  I'm thankful for having the money to be able to swing the lessons and thankful for my "just do it" perspective.  I think that one thing my father's early passing taught me is that we never truly know when our time is going to come so we should live each day to its absolute fullest.  Sure, I probably should have been studying and sure, we probably should be saving our money for a new home, but you know what? I wouldn't take that hour back for anything.  I flew a plane.  Flew it.  By myself (for some of the time).  I'm so happy that I put this on my 30B30 list because I'm not sure I could have justified it otherwise, which is also silly.  I want to go up again sometime (maybe not very soon because I do need to start focusing on passing the California bar exam).  I think I may actually pursue my pilot's license, or at the very least, take a few more lessons and see what I think since they will count towards the license anyway.  It was a little difficult to keep up with all the gauges and radio communications, but I'm sure that gets easier with practice.

At any rate, I'm going to check this one off the list and consider myself a badass for at least a little while.  I think I've earned the basking in my own glory for at least a week. :)  I'm sure Erik will get annoyed with me soon and then I'll come back to earth again.  In the meantime, I have a new happy place -- a feeling of weightlessness and floating on air.