The View From Our Cabin Window
Tough Cork!
Thursday Morning in Flagstaff.
|
2012 January - Pacheco
Jan 1: Happy New Year! With the new year the Web Log gets a new name and a new look.
Jan 6-8: To celebrate our 13th Anniversary we spent the weekend in cabin 25 at
Dillon Beach Resort.
The huge front windows overlook the beach and a couple of those little dots on
the beach are people! The 20+ foot surf settled down after sunset.
Jan 6: We started our trip with lunch at Los Panchos where we tried the tacos (chicken and
beef) and the Super Burrito (no beans). A short, pleasant drive, only an hour or two, brought
us to the quaint cabin. The unit was well heated with a great view of the Pacific and record
wave heights. Dinner was at the Dillon Beach Resort Cafe' and we shared fantastic Calimari
and the Fish & Chips. Steve had the red wine; they only offer two wines, Cline Oakley Five Reds or
Cline Oakley Five Whites. LOL. Our favorite winery through whose website we learned about
Dillon Beach Resort. We stayed up late playing dominos and enjoying some great wine and music.
Jan 7: Steve made a Ham & Cheese scrambled omelet and after a game or two of dominos we
started with a nice walk on the beach where Steve's WalkAide helped make him faster than
Marnie in the sand! Better than we could hope for or dream of! We then drove a huge loop,
stopping first in Bodega to get pictures of the school and church starring in Alfred
Hitchcock's, The Birds and then on to Sebastopol (we missed our turn), back to
Occidental for lunch at Negri's Italian Restaurant for a great meat lover's pizza. We
then drove up to Anderson Redwood Preserve but were disappointed by this small park with
only a handful of the Giant Redwoods. Sadly this state park is closing due to budget cuts.
From there we proceded
along the Russian River to the coast and since it was too early for dinner, went back to our
cabin to rest. We did a search and at least one travel site made the County Store in Bodega
the #1 place to eat. They are known for their Crab Mac & Cheese and several chowders (we
had white clam). The food was better than we imagined, when I told the server they ranked
number one she laughed and said that is because they were the only place to eat in Bogeda
(not quite true). Truly the Crab Mac & Cheese is worth going out of you way if you are within
100 miles of Bogeda!
In the evening we played a few more games of dominos, drank a Viano Zinfandel and listened to
more great music.
Jan 8: Steve made another Ham & Cheese scrambled omelet, we played another few games of dominos and
then we went on another walk on the beach. We found a cool jellyfish in one tide pool but didn't
think we could get a good picture of it. We both got tired and we cut through the dunes
and the RV park to shorten the walk a bit. We had a nice drive home and lunch at Chili's.
Jan 9: Marnie had to work. Steve started a pork shoulder in the morning. Early afternoon
Steve struggled to open and then decanted a 2001 Rios Lovell. Several ounces of this huge
red wine was sediment! Mmmm. Steve thieved enough of a taste to make sure it wasn't vinegar
after more than 10 years in the bottle. The roast, the wine, was all fantastic and made a
great anniversary dinner.
Jan 19-30: Arizona! On short notice Marnie was forced to take vacation or stop accruing so we
threw together a trip to AZ. Steve had the bright idea to wear the TENS unit the entire
trip out and that helped a lot! The first day, about five hours, Steve felt okay. The
second day, 7-8 hours was a little too much. We stayed at a Quality Inn in Bakersfield
and highly recommend it. The neighborhood was bad ("All Nudes All the Time") but the
price was good and we felt safe. Bacon and eggs was free. We spent a few days with our
friend Kate and then went down to the Verde Valley to look at Real Estate and spend time
with our friends Pat & Carrie who tried to kill Marnie with a five-mile hike. Steve was
almost in the Jeep before she admitted she was okay. The final weekend was spent with
our friend Bob and a small dinner party with our usual "gang". It was hard to say goodbye
to everyone again. An uneventful two days of travel later we were home to a very happy kitty.
It seems like whenever we go on a trip there is a song that sticks out as the theme song. This
trip we heard Victory Dance by My Morning Jacket a couple times a day and it sticks
out due to the haunting instrumental harmony.
This Months Brewery, Restaurant & Winery Reviews:
Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen
-
(5.0 of Five)
(2012) This is one of our favorite haunts with great gourmet pizzas. A staple for us is the
Meaty Meaty Meaty but this latest visit we tried the new Buffalo wings (very hot!) and the Wild
Scallops & Bacon Pizza. Wow! Great flavors and a great bottle of wine. Marnie finished with
the Skillet Brownie but couldn't finish it. We were full to bursting for under $50.
http://picazzos.com/
Chili's
-
(4.0 of Five)
(2012) Not all of these franchises are the same. Depending on who is bartending this
restaurant has a great Bloody Mary. The Big Mouth burgers are a great meal and we
favor the Southwest, no buns-no fries with a side of guacamole. Try their queso dip
poured over this burger! Steve has wine and we usually dine for less than $40.
http://www.chilis.com/EN/mobile/Pages/menuitem.aspx?LocId=001.005.0416
Grapes Restaurant & Bar
-
(Three of Five)
(2012) Jerome is a quaint mining town located between Clarkdale and Prescott. Grapes is in the
location of the old brewery and is what we think of as a higher end restaurant but with reasonable
prices. One of our friends knew the server Ashley personally but I suspect she would have been
equally charming regardless. Wednesday night is $5 appetizers and five of us ate our fill for $71.
http://grapesjerome.com/
Fratelli Pizza
-
(Three of Five)
(2012) This thin crust pizza is a regular when we are at our friend's house in East Flagstaff.
A great value and good pizza keeps us coming back. They must put sugar in their sauce because
Steve's blood sugar was high after only two pieces. Three of us were satisfied with a large
pepperoni for only $14.
http://www.fratellipizza.net/
Pepe's Cafe'
-
(Three of Five)
(2012) Behind every great meal there is usually a Mexican Cook. Pepe's has a 50's diner
motif' but serves American/Mexican breakfast, lunch and dinner. The portion size and
food quality was a steal and two of us ate for under $13 including beverages!
Famous Dave's
-
(4.0 of Five)
(2012) Steve has eaten at the restaurant in Minnesota but only had a burger. This restaurant
had some great sounding dishes and the dry-rub Rib Tips should be something that doesn't
raise the blood sugar (without sauce anyway). Marnie had the Pork Platter and Steve had
a couple glasses of Cab. The meal was fantastic and we took at least a meal home with us,
all for $47.
http://www.famousdaves.com/Bakersfield
Dillon Beach Resort Cafe'
-
(Three of Five)
(2012) This dining room offers a great view of the Pacific Ocean. We shared the fantastic Calamari
and Fish & Chips. Steve had the red wine, they only offer two Cline Oakley Five Reds or
Cline Oakley Five Whites. Cline is probably our favorite winery and it was through their
website we learned about Dillon Beach Resort. Even though we shared the appetizer and entrée the bill came to $30.
http://www.dillonbeachresort.com/cafe.html
Negri's Italian Restaurant in Occidental
-
(3.5 of Five)
(2012) Our charming server Deborah recommended the meat lover's pizza and it was very good.
There is no extra crust to tear off so if your diet allows a few carbs you can eat the whole
piece. We sat with a lovely view of the charming town and surrounding mountains. Our meal
with two glasses of wine came to $32 plus tip.
http://www.negrisrestaurant.com/Site/NEGRIS_ITALIAN_RESTAURANT_HOME.html
Bodega Country Store
-
(4.0 of Five)
(2012) Dining in a store leaves something to be desired but they are known for their
Crab Mac & Cheese and several smoked chowders (we had white clam). The food was better
than we imagined, when I told the server they ranked the number one place to dine she laughed
and said that is because they were the only place to eat in Bodega (not quite true). Truly
the Crab Mac & Cheese is worth going out of your way if you are within 100 miles of Bodega!
The chowder was fresh and flavorful. We took half of each as leftovers so there was plenty
of food and a glass of wine for $26.
http://www.bodegastore.com/
Los Panchos
-
(3.0 of Five)
(2012) We heard great things about our local taqueria so when they reopened for the new year after
the holiday break we tried the Carnitas Chimichanga which had undeclared beans and Chili Relleano.
On another visit we tried the tacos (chicken and beef) and the Super Burrito (no beans, they make
Steve sick). The flavors are really good and the portions are satisfying. There is very little
seating outside so be prepared to take the food to go if there isn't a table available. Two adults
can get their fill easily for $10!
http://www.lospanchosrestaurant.com/
Magoo's Grill
-
(3.5 of Five)
(2011) The ambiance of this bar & grill was a little wierd but we were there early for dinner, the
few people that were there all seemed to know each other like in a smaller community. The servers
were very pleasant and attentive and the food was great. Steve had the bacon cheeseburger which
was generous and had a great smoky flavor. It went well with a Guinness. Marnie had the fish
& chips. The fish was a little greasy but very good and the fries were crispy, just the way we
like them. Dinner for two plus one drink was less than $20 plus tip.
http://www.magoosgrill.com/
Mission District Taquerias
-
(2.5 of Five)
(2011) There are so many Taquerias in the Mission District we could not try or even list them all.
Steve had the Toast of Fish Saviche and the Super Taco. Our friend Sachin and Marnie each tried
an entrée. The restaurant was clean and the food really hit the spot. Steve's food came to about $7
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_District,_San_Francisco
Wipeout
-
(3 of Five)
(2011) Wipeout, Pier 39 the plates were huge mounds of really good food. Usually I would consider
skirt steak trash meat but it was pretty good. Steve had this and shrimp in the Surf and Turf.
Marnie and Sachin both had the Fish & Chips which was also really good and way too much food!
Our polite and friendly server Angel brought their only red wine, a "cabernette" and Marnie
had a huge glass of Stella on tap. Dinner for three came to $90 with drinks.
http://www.wipeoutbarandgrill.com/
Jack's Restaurant & Bar
-
(4 of Five)
(2011) A new restaurant in downtown Pleasant Hill, we tried the Bacon Mac (not
as good as Marnie's) and the Sunset Boulevard Burger. It was all good and
a pleasant, if a little sterile, atmosphere. Steve found out they are open for
breakfast and had the Carnivore Omelet which was very good. They were a little
slow on coffee refills but there was a great view of the fountain.
http://jacksrestaurants.com/
For more Restaurant Reviews visit
our Restaurant, Brewery and Winery Reviews page.
Latest Book Reviews:
Homer – Illiad
- Finally finished! This novel is for which the word epic was termed! I kept trying
to find a way to put a rhythm to the poem but once I gave up and read it as a novel it went
quicker. The ending was much more interesting than the rest of the story. I assume from the
development of characters that I read these in the wrong order and Odyssey should have come first.
Bach, David – The Automatic Millionaire
- Steve’s Thoughts: The target audience is renters that have not yet bought a home in which they accumulate equity. I’d recommend it to someone just starting out on their own.
This months movie reviews:
Twighlight: 1-3 -
This story appeals to teenage girls but not to us.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen -
Scenes right out of the Star Wars and Harry Potter series. Not sure if it was intentional
to be funny or if the writers ran out of ideas.
Shallow Hal -
Marnie describes this movie as "cute" but Steve found himself bored by the story.
2012 -
Corny and scientifically grossly-inaccurate the movie was still riveting and filled with action.
Latest Game Reviews:
We have had the Nintendo™
Wii Fit™ with the Balance Board since 2009 Thanksgiving
Day. Besides being entertaining this system allows Steve to
exercise safely with his disabilities. Some of the exercises
are harder than you think and we can recommend this to others
with similar disabilities.
Tiger Woods 2008 (Wii) -
The controls take a bit of getting used to but this is a fun
game that we are both enjoying! On a particularly difficult shot you can
feel your heartbeat in your club via the vibration of the controller.
Mini Golf Resorts (Wii) -
"Over 1000 Holes to Play!" Golf is a great game for our small
living space. We have a couple of them now. So far it has been
fun, some of the holes are easy and some are very challenging.
Every golf game we have uses a different method of control and
this one is no different in the difference.
It is frustrating to go through the learning curve again and
we wish they would all stick to one method. On to of the
non-intuitive control, the game is full of bugs. Sometimes the
ball goes in the hole but it doesn't record it and you have to wait
until the stroke limit or reboot the game to continue. Honestly, do
they test these games before release?
|
