California Vacation Part 1

Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to travel to California for the very first time. I spent time in Berkeley visiting my sister, San Francisco & Sonoma. Sadly, my husband was not able to join me as his work schedule did not allow him the time off, so I tagged along with my parents.

In Berkeley I toured the University of California campus which was really interesting for me to see. In high school I had written a paper for my AP US History class that discussed higher education in the 1960s and the Free Speech Movement which took place right at Berkeley. It was so cool to see the campus that was the setting of so many historical events. Here is a picture of me outside the famous Sather Gate in front of Sproul Plaza-



I found Berkeley to be a really eclectic town, and I enjoyed seeing all of the independent coffee shops and different restaurants. Overall I thought it was more urban than I expected, but odd that many of the businesses closed so early. I was surprised to see so little nightlife for a college town.

I also spent a day in the Sonoma Wine Valley Region. It truly was as beautiful as it is portrayed in movies and pictures! We first visited St. Francis Winery in Santa Rosa, CA. What a gorgeous vineyard!

My father and I tasted a variety of wines, but since it was my first stop and I had a cold I had to take it easy. It was still early in the day so there were not many people there yet so you could really relax and take in all the surroundings.

Our next stop was at Ledson Winery & Vineyards, in Kenwood. This winery was like a French chateau.

I knew we had to stop and check it out based on its magnificence alone. We stepped inside and were lead into the tasting room by a friendly hostess where we were greeted by Brittany who was behind the bar. I have to admit that I was really impressed by Brittany's knowledge of all the wines they had to offer and the history of the vineyard and the Ledson family. She was also really friendly so you felt totally comfortable with her even if you had had enough wine a couple of glasses ago. I don't know if it was Brittany's persuasion or if my dad really liked the wine, but we ordered six bottles to be shipped home.

Here is a picture of my dad and I with Brittany at Ledson-


We stopped at a couple more vineyards before making our way into the town of Sonoma for lunch. The main town square of Sonoma was dotted with little shops and restaurants bustling with locals and tourists alike. We walked around before settling down for a light lunch at the Sunflower Caffe, which I later learned has been featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I enjoyed a grilled chicken salad with the most delicious lemon parsley salad dressing and a glass of water infused with cucumber, which was very refreshing! It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day so we ate outside. The outdoor eating area was lovely with all of the plant life and a fountain. Here is a picture of me at my table-

If I am ever out in Sonoma again I will certainly be back there! I would highly recommend this cafe to anyone in the Sonoma area. The food was gourmet level and the environment was friendly and relaxing.

Sonoma was definitely one of the highlights of my trip and I plan to return one day with my husband.

So that is part one of my California vacation. My next post will detail the second part, San Francisco, which is now one of my favorite cities in the world!