I made a not quite last-minute decision to attend the West of West Festival in California after receiving an e-mail alert from Lioco. A great thing about retirement is the flexibility it gives you for more-or-less spontaneous travel plans. I was able to use points on Delta for the roundtrip coast-to-coast flights. I am staying in Rohnert Park and traveling to the events in Occidental, CA (and a wine dinner with Lioco, Hirsch and Red Car at Nick's Cove, Point Reyes.) In addition to the wine dinner on Friday, August 3rd, there is a Whole Hog Feast Saturday night, August 4th with Ashley Christensen as the visiting chef. Ashley owns Poole's Diner and two other places in Raleigh and previously was chef at Enoteca Vin so I've known her for about a decade. She really knows how to cook pig and pair it with Pinots! I will attend three wine seminars/tastings during the day Saturday plus a grand tasting prior to the hog feast. Sunday is a repeat opportunity for the grand tasting. Doesn't leave much free time to visit wineries but I will arrive in California prior to the festival and have a visit at Williams Selyem on Friday afternoon and at Joseph Swan Monday morning before I go on to Monterey County for a couple days (also two nights in the San Francisco area.) I will probably visit two or three tasting rooms in Carmel Valley and revisit the Monterey Bay Aquarium plus a favorite Pacific Grove restaurant (Fandango) and Passionfish in Pacific Grove which I don't think I've been to before. I'm looking forward to some sanddabs and artichoke.
Then mid-month is MO'COOL! Cool!
