Windsor and the Sonoma Coast, California – 8/27/2015 – http://fulltimetimeshare.com/blog

August 27, 2015 (Thursday)

Another gorgeous day in Sonoma County. It is just beautiful here. We got up and left around 10:30 AM to go to the food and wine pairing at the Kendall-Jackson Winery. We opted for tickets to this when we went to the timeshare “update” yesterday. Good thing we left early as we kinda got lost but finally figured it out. We got to the Kendall-Jackson Winery a couple minutes before 11:00 AM. What a beautiful place. I felt like we were in France/Europe. The grounds were lovely and the building looked like a French chateau. (We are a little stiff and sore from our walk yesterday but I think we’re doing pretty good for as old as we are.)

We went inside and were immediately greeted and given a glass of wine while we waited. I also took the opportunity to look around the gift shop area. Fun items for sale. After a few minutes a very nice lady, Kelsy, came and greeted us and took us into the dining room. Once in the dining room we sat down at a table and Kelsy explained how the food and wine pairing worked – you take a sip of wine, a bite of food, then a sip of wine, then another bite. She also explained it went from left to right. The first course was a fried green tomato and yellowtail tuna. Second platter was a cute little skillet of ham and beans; a killer pork belly slider; and a flat iron steak. The dessert course was a kind of Japanese cheesecake/spongecake and some caramel corn. Loved every sip and bite taken. Excellent!

A hint of the beauty to come as we entered the grounds

A great deal of consciousness and human care towards details here. — A great deal of consciousness and human care toward details here.

Have to admire making nature do as you wish.

Complimentary wine while waiting for our wine tasting.

Our glasses for today's serving. — Our glasses for today’s serving.

We got a great deal of wine information.

At first glance I thought they were antlers.

I love tomatoes and my family is from the south, and yet I had never eaten a fried green tomato. It was wonderful, served on a bed of half goat and half cow soft cheese. Pesto sauce in drips, tiny peppers and flowers on top.

Yellow tail tuna with pickled cucumbers, watermelon tomatoes, caviar, toasted seeds and a garnish that is considered a weed that they cultivate in their garden.,

Next was 3 reds. — Next were three reds.

A little skillet of beans with so much else going on...mushrooms, onion, ham, tomato, and much more. The pork slider was great. Marinated pork belly on a great sauce, a slice of cucumber, served on a grilled hot dog bun with the crust cut off. — A little skillet of beans with so much else going on…mushrooms, onion, ham, tomato, and much more. The pork slider was great. Marinated pork belly on a great sauce, a slice of cucumber, served on a grilled hot dog bun with the crust cut off.

Flat iron steak on a bed of greens was the final offering. It was all melt in your mouth wonderful and the wines were excellent.

Gosh my mouth is watering as I work on this blog.

We bought a bottle of each of these. Edies sweet tooth strikes again. — We bought a bottle of each of these. Edie’s sweet tooth strikes again.

Japanese cheesecake, which is very light, strawberry puree with a sprig of..not sure, a lime meringue drop and sugar on the side.

The food and wine pairing took about an hour. Once we were done (could have eaten much more but it was pretty wonderful and we want to do it again) we walked around the gardens. The chef had explained (while inside eating) that they grow their fruit and vegetables on ground. Most of the things growing in the garden area were labeled and so beautiful. There were lovely gazebos and placed to sit in the garden area as well. Loved it.

Their demonstration vineyard had a row of each type of grape they use.

Gazebo with chairs and loveliness all around.

We will be going back. At forty five bucks a head it was just too fun.

Around 1:00 PM, we left the Kendall-Jackson Winery and headed to Jenner. – about an hour’s drive (something like 35 miles). Like I mentioned before, this weekend is all about Michael going down memory lane. In Jenner we saw a restaurant Michael and Renee used to go to quite often, The River’s End. Jenner was very beautiful. We stopped a little past The River’s End, pulled over and saw the wildlife in the bay/river. Lots of birds, harbor seals, and sea lions. Beautiful part of the California coast.

Goat rock...ship wreak, goats stranded, low tide rescue and the name stuck. — Goat rock…ship wreak, goats stranded, low tide rescue and the name stuck.

I confess I have always loved the California coast.

We left and headed to Bodega Bay (about 15 miles). We went by Goat Rock and saw a hang glider that was just relaxing in the current and drifting around. He was in the air the whole time we were there. Too fun. We also went out to the headlands area and parked for a little bit. Michael wanted to go for a little walk, which he did, but I was kinda sleepy (too much wine) and stayed in the car and took in the beauty.

Edie loves the quality of the old barns.

Made us think of all our geology discussions.

These two had it going on, brought their own drinks, chairs and coats. Very smart.

Once we left we went to see the church and the house from the film “The Birds” by Alfred Hitchcock.

The church in Hitchcock's movie, The Birds. — The church in Hitchcock’s movie,” The Birds.”

It was a lovely day. We headed back to Windsor and went through the downtown area. Was quite surprised at how much new construction was going on there. We couldn’t find a quaint restaurant for dinner so we went back to near our home resort and stopped at the local Panda Express to have dinner. That was our day. Going to hate going back to Prunedale tomorrow but will be waiting for our next adventure.

Hope yours was great!