Napa3

Sleep restored; ELT to be assured

“Mainstream media is playing into Trump’s neo-fascist hands. I’m sticking with democracy and the Guardian

Robert Reich”

Model breakfast again. More French breakfast this time for QB. Does not want to overeat as big dinner tonight and s bit too much of eyes bigger than stomach yesterday.

Downtown Napa trip getting lost by putting in the wrong location into Google maps

Good view of valley with cities listed

Looked up the population of Oakville and Rutherford towns of population, 74 and 100 as of 2020.

Tea break at the gas station. By law, then not allowed to take electronic tips here because they are a gas station. Another Nanny state rule?

Raspberries from the supermarket, a nap, and a hot tub rounded out the afternoon

Afternoon cool down after hot tub

Pre-fixe dinner at hotel

Then the food pics

Napa 2 with Saint Helena

Rain basically ended except for a bit on the way over to breakfast in St. Helena.

Good story last night from server about memory of 37 steaks at previous steak restaurant in San Francisco He said much easier to work here as the menu is much easier to remember.

Christmas tree of barrels in St. Helena

Cool old building in downtown St. Helena

QB had a very bad night from lack of breathing. It appears the room had feathered pillows, and maybe the duvet as well. Extreme disappointment. They explained however, that the pillows were not down as their supplier said not. Impossible to prove one way or the other without slashing a pillow. They replaced all the items in the room as we asked him the service was outstanding.

Heated floors fixed , maintenance Wi-Fi not fixed.

Breakfast at the Model Bakery, a place that QB remembers from the previous visit, and very famous. This one was allegedly remodeled, but it doesn’t look that way very much.

Remodeled (?) Model Bakery

Breakfast

Found another photographed nest on fine quality, wasabi type paper. Will end up in Rhode Island next to the other.

Gas station here in Saint Helena, and one in Yountville serve food, and apparently very good food according to the locals

Napa Valley Olive Oil Company – stocked up and got a few oranges from their tree.

Another gas station with food and wine had a good espresso bar. Very popular with locals and tourists.

Long hot tub and interesting conversation with a high end contractor.

Walked to Bistro Jeanty for awaited dinner

House smoked trout
Frites and cassoulet.

Some Yountville art

Napa- North Block Hotel

Salad in Mill Valley

First a stop in Millvalley for a bit of shopping and breakfast. Lovely Redwood trees.

Afternoon cortado and macarons
North Block Hotel room
Post nap
Hotel restaurant
Mussels in a sauce made with nduja sausage; delicious
More dinner

Restaurant turned out to be a good choice for dinner. Avoided heavy rain, and had good food and excellent service. forest mushrooms, wonderful brussels sprouts in a reduction sauce, margarita, pizza, or flatbread pasta? In addition to the muscles.

Botticelli at the Legion of Honor

An excursion with appetizers. Member preview.

First the appetizers. Our previous such event was at the de Young. Bobbikins and Mini-me were not impressed.

Gathering the edible
Caught in the act

Outstanding introductory film. The exhibit makes a great deal more sense if you see the film unless you’re steeped and medieval Renaissance artwork.

While not a fan of this. Why interesting to see how the drawings became the finished works and how and later in his career he did just the drawings and the workshop completed the works.

Before
After

We are doomed

The polls show Trump ahead in five of the six swinging states, ahead by significant margins.

This is from the Washington Post today

Donald Trump and his allies have begun mapping out specific plans for using the federal government to punish critics and opponents should he win a second term, with the former president naming individuals he wants to investigate or prosecute and his associates drafting plans to potentially invoke the Insurrection Act on his first day in office to allow him to deploy the military against civil demonstrations.
In private, Trump has told advisers and friends in recent months that he wants the Justice Department to investigate onetime officials and allies who have become critical of his time in office, including his former chief of staff, John Kelly, and former attorney general William P. Barr, as well as his ex-attorney Ty Cobb and former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Mark A. Milley, according to people who have talked to him, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. Trump has also talked of prosecuting officials at the FBI and Justice Department, a person familiar with the matter said.
In public, Trump has vowed to appoint a special prosecutor to “go after” President Biden and his family. The former president has frequently made corruption accusations against them that are not supported by available evidence.

Rosh Hosanna at Marcia’s

Wonderful, but one expects it to be wonderful. Great people, excellent food, fine conversation and some much needed joy and laughter.

The link is how the evening dining (after drinks of course) began. Two very short videos. Even a violin intro.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/009GxWcj2CoI9dqmaMzaTMuB

Ah, the dinner in reverse order. Why? Yes, why.

Three gluten free deserts
Too sweet apple cake
Wonderful raspberry, hand picked at Sweet Berry Farm
Perfect traditional honey cake
My plate trying most of the goodies
Brisket, yes, brisket!! Excellent of course
Cannot be a dinner without matzo ball soup
Challah with honey

Filoli July 10, 2024

Loop trail stroll followed by garden stroll.

Poults are well camouflaged. Surprised we could get as close as we did.

Admired the veg garden. Tomatoes looked mostly leafy with little fruit so far. sunflowers and corn standing tall though no blooms or ears.

Nice redwoods stand. First time on loop trail