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Gail and her husband Jon travelled extensively, sampled various types of local cuisine, and documented the experiences along the way. We are pleased to share the personal thoughts and insights of one of the culinary world’s leading minds.

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Jon and Gail attend Berkeley and dine at a deli

It’s get the van fixed day (tune-up, oil change and muffler repair followed by four new tires) and at the suggestion of the guys at Buslab (specializing in VW Westfalia repair) we go to La Note for breakfast. I admit; breakfast is one of my favourite meals of the day. I love eating breakfast out […]

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Wine makers fail to present their wine in the best light

If your only tool is a hammer then every problem is a nail. I think about that all the time because I am a marketing guy and every issue is viewed through a marketing lens. I have been considering the wine industry for the past weeks while visiting a couple of dozen wineries. Winemakers spend […]

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More research for my Sonoma Sip `n Spa tour

It’s Easter Sunday and some kids from a nearby camper are on an early Easter egg hunt. We get up, shower and enjoy a camper breakfast of Greek God’s honey yogurt, a banana and the alst of the Three Sisters Bakery Granola (it was mighty fine granola). We head to the Fairmont Sonoma Mission and […]

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Dining in Berkeley including Chez Panisse wows Jon and Gail

Drive to Berkeley in rush hour traffic and head to Peet’s for a latte. Busy place and Peet’s is celebrating 45 years in business. Did you know that Peet’s was the learning ground for Howard Schulta, the founder/owner of Starbucks?...It's less structured than Starbuck's, but just as busy. Lunch at Slow, a small bright spot […]

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Fun facts and details from a wandering lifestyle

Travel is broadening. Despite the fact that we both intend to loose a few pounds on this trip as a result of good eating and increased exercise and therefore decrease the width of our beam, the trip has widened our minds. I already have a head full of unrelated and generally useless trivia but after […]

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Rutherford wineries and Yountville

Hearty breakfast at Gillwoods café (multi-grain blueberry pancakes with a side of bacon for Jon and a breakfast sandwich – bagel, egg, cheese and bacon –for me). It’s off to the Rutherford area to tour some wineries: William Harrison, purchased a bottle of their cabernet franc; Rutherford Ranch, purchased their port and zinfandel; and St. […]

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Seghesio and wineries along the Russian River

We continue touring wineries along the Russian River: Mill Creek (produces about 8,000 cases per year); Hop Kiln (a beautiful historic building that had been used to dry hops); Thomas George winery with a new cave that opened in 2010; and lastly Porter Creek winery (we had to stop here as Jon’s sister and family […]

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Gail and Jon head to Sonoma wine country

Continue down the coastal hwy to Ft Bragg and purchase some smoked products (turkey and pork chops) from a local deli. We decide to head east on Dry Creek for Healdsburg (the north part of Sonoma). It’s a good thing we did this in daylight, as we climbed up to elevations of 2000 ft on […]

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Life without media – Jon and Gail survive

I am not addicted to media! Although it is different to be out of touch with the world outside my immediate realm, it has not been difficult to turn off the news, information and useless flotsam that drift through my life when I am constantly wired to the media. While Gail and I are on […]

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Artisanal or commercial - the debate rages

Purists seem to think that there is a clear line between what is considered a local, artisanal product and therefore desirable and a mass produced, commercial product that is not so desirable. I can tell you that the two worlds are just shades of grey with lots of light to be shone on both sides […]

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