California – Page 2

Imagery Estate Winery

Published on November 18, 2013November 17, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Imagine the Parthenon. Imagine a great wine. Imagine a great atmosphere. Imagine combining the 3 into one place- that place being Imagery Winery. Imagery Estate Winery is located in Sonoma County and is owned by the Benzinger family. This winery is not only known for it’s great wine, but also the art on each bottle of wine. Each varietal has a unique designed label that changes each year and includes a picture of the Parthenon. The Parthenon is sometimes not easy to find, so it makes a great game of “Where’s Waldo!” Renowned contemporary artists from around the world design the artwork for Imagery’s wine labels.

T.W.O. recently attended Imagery’s Open House event for club members and had a fabulous time! The winery featured their most popular wines, food pairings, barrel tastings, live music and bocce ball! We even got to meet Mr. Benzinger himself as well as the famous local artist, Bob Nugent.

T.W.O. would highly recommend this winery to anyone that is in the Sonoma area! Some of our favorite varietals are the Mablec, Barbera, Sangiovese, and Petite Syrah- all of which complement nicely with any type of meal. So stop imagining this perfect winery and head to Imagery!!

VJB Vineyards & Cellars

Published on November 8, 2013November 8, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Wine. Pizza Oven. Deli. Gelato. Music. VJB Cellars has it all! Not only is their wine delicious, the atmosphere in their piazza is excellent. T.W.O. has been going to VJB for many years and takes all their visitors to this family-owned Kenwood winery.

Meet the Belmonte’s

Vittorio, Henry and Maria Belmonte are the family members who started this winery. Just about every weekend, you can see at least one of them roaming around the piazza. Like every visit to VJB, Vittorio and the staff greet us with open arms, just as if we were family. When in Italy…or should I say VJB!

The Piazza

The piazza is an open aired patio that is identical to the ones in a small, Italian town. With a pizza kitchen on one end and long tables on the other, it is a great place to enjoy lunch and some wine on a beautiful day. The food is excellent. Pizza, ribs, paninis and sandwiches are all made fresh to order. T.W.O. highly suggests the traditional margarita pizza. If you decide to go to VJB on the weekend, you can expect live music in the piazza. Close your eyes and you will think you are in Italy!

The Deli

What shall we eat?

Ordering our lunch!

The deli has everything from cold meats, fresh salads, and cheese that you can order to go or to enjoy in the piazza. Don’t forget to pick up some of Maria’s pasta sauce on the way out- it is delicious!

The Tasting Room + VJB Wines

Now to taste some delicious wines! Prosecco, Rose, Zinfandel, Montepulciano, Cabernet, Rosso Family Blend, Dante, Sangiovese and Barbara are some of the varietals you will see at VJB. Even though T.W.O. enjoys all of the wines at VJB, their favorites are the Barbara and the Dante.

Gelateria

After an afternoon of live music, pizza and some great Italian wine- why not end it with some gelato! The dark chocolate is phenomenal!!

*This photo was taken on a previous trip to VJB with more of our family!

Cheers to VJB Cellars and a T.W.O. favorite winery. Thank you to the Belmonte Family for welcoming our family to your winery and making us feel like we are at home every time!

A 25 Mile Bike Tour Over The Golden Gate Bridge

Published on October 30, 2013October 28, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

This past weekend T.W.O.’s family was in town to visit San Francisco. And like most visits, we try to accomplish a new activity. This time, T.W.O. & family decided to rent bikes and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and back. Our 25 mile journey was filled with steep hills, long inclines, great views, perfect weather and wonderful people.

Since some of us didn’t have road bikes, we had to rent hybrid bikes from the local shop on Lombard Street – Bike & View. Book online before going to the shop to pick up your bike…you save $10! T.W.O. highly recommends using Bike & View. The store was located in a convenient location, service was spectacular and the bikes were durable. Each rental comes with a bike lock and helmet. Safety first!

Golden Gate Bridge Crossing

Crossing the GG Bridge on a bike is exhilarating. Being that high up on a bridge with water beneath you while pedestrians and cars are near, gets your heart rate pumping. On the way back, the fog horn was going off which meant that a portion of the bridge was fogged in. Yep, that’s right- we had to ride through a fog bank to get to the other side. Once we crossed, the sun was shining again and it was 10 degrees colder in SF than it was in Marin.

Cavallo Point

Once we dropped down into Sausalito we rode to Cavallo Point to see the hotel and great views this resort has to offer. It’s a great spot to grab brunch or a sunset drink on a clear day.

Sausalito

After leaving Cavallo Point, we rode through the town. The streets were bustling and the restaurants were crowded with people enjoying the beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Fish

Just north of the town center is one of T.W.O.’s favorite lunch spots, Fish. This was a great spot to stop for the halfway point on the ride. Known for their views and seafood, Fish offers a variety of food for everyone’s taste buds. Fish sandwiches, salads, oysters, soups, and hamburgers – you can’t go wrong at Fish. Note – they only take cash, so make sure you hit up the ATM prior to going unless you want to pay the ATM fee onsite.

T.W.O. & family had a great time riding and exploring on Saturday. After 25 miles of some challenging hills (the hill coming out of Sausalito towards the GG Bridge), a great meal and adventures, we all can’t wait to do it again soon! Hopefully with the entire family!

Happy trails ahead!

San Diego County Favorites

Published on October 14, 2013October 13, 2013 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Del Mar Beach

Del Mar is one of the best beaches in San Diego County. It is a great place to bring families, friends and visitors on those hot summer days. Being in a residential area, the beach is lined with beach houses that are nice to look at while taking a mid-day stroll. T.W.O. enjoys bringing a picnic lunch, our paddleball set and a great book to Del Mar beach.

Claire’s on Cedros Bakery & Café

If you are looking for a great place to grab a coffee and pastry, a delicious sit-down breakfast or a tasty lunch…Claire’s on Cedros in Solana Beach is the place to go. Not only is the food fresh and amazing, the building is the only LEED Platinum certified building in San Diego. The atmosphere is casual and inviting for all ages.

Petco Park

Baseball has been apart of T.W.O.’s life since we were born. We have been to many baseball fields in our life, and Petco Park is in the top five favorite stadiums list. Located in the center of downtown San Diego, the stadium has spectacular views and offers many amenities for families and young adults. During the summer months after certain games, there are country concerts. T.W.O. had the chance to go see Dierks Bentley. Yee haw!

Del Mar Horse Races

Opening Day at the Del Mar Horse races is such a fun day. Sun dresses, big hats, linen suits, fedoras, jockeys and horses…who wouldn’t like this? Place your bets now because this is the only track where the surf meets the turf.

Board & Brew (Del Mar)

T.W.O. loves a good sandwich, so when we are headed to the beach we always stop by Board & Brew to pick up lunch. Turkey, avocado with shredded lettuce on squaw bread is a favorite of T.W.O. Board & Brew never disappoints!

Seagrove Park

Don’t want to go to the beach, but want to enjoy the great weather? Seagrove is a great park that has quite the view. T.W.O. enjoys bringing picnic lunches, our family and our dog Libby! It’s a great place to people watch, relax and enjoy the incredible views. If you time it right, you might even be an “uninvited guest” at a wedding!

Rimel’s Rotisserie (Del Mar)

Rimels is a favorite dinner spot for T.W.O. With fresh food that is made from scratch, T.W.O. enjoys the wok bowls and the potstickers. Rimels offers a great environment for small or large parties. There is a big farm fresh table in that back for big group celebrations. If your table isn’t ready, don’t worry because the fire-pits and the outdoor sitting area makes the wait well worth it!

T.W.O. Hikes Torrey Pines

Published on September 18, 2013September 16, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Southern California has some of the best outdoor activities in the nation year around. One of T.W.O.’s favorite activities in SoCal is to hike Torrey Pines State Reserve in La Jolla, California. There are 8 trails at the reserve and range from ½ mile to 1 ½ miles. Each trail has magnificent views of the ocean and coastline. Take the “Beach trail” if you want to get down to the beach (hence the name!) and walk the sandy coast of SoCal. This hike is a great way to start your day, end your day or fill in some time you have in the middle!

Cheers to being healthy, active, and happy!

T.W.O.’s Favorite Orange County (OC) Spots

Published on September 5, 2013September 4, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

31^st Street, Newport Beach

For many years, T.W.O. has been riding their beach cruises to this street’s beach front to soak up the sun. It’s a great place to catch-up on your summer book read, gossip magazine news and a little game of smash ball. Generally, this beach spot is not too crowded so you don’t have to worry about finding a place to sit.

Balboa Island

This island is famous for its Balboa Bar, which is a chocolate dipped frozen banana. It’s THE BEST in the WEST! Other than these gastronomical gems, Balboa is a great place to stroll along the board walk and enjoy the sun! And if you have young children, the island offers a Fun Zone and a Ferry Boat that will definitely keep your children on Cloud 9!

Sugar Shack

Located on Main Street in Huntington Beach, the Sugar Shack is a restaurant that T.W.O. and their family have been going to for breakfast every Christmas Eve. The eggs, pancakes, hash browns and the hot chocolate are highly recommended. The restaurant is also known for its hamburgers and Turkey Dinners on Wednesday nights.

Fashion Island

Where the shopping bags meet the surf! In T.W.O’s opinion, there is no better way to spend the day shopping than in an outdoor shopping mall that has views of the ocean. The center has many of T.W.O.’s favorite stores- Norstrom’s, Bloomingdales, Macy’s, Trina Turk, Rebecca Taylor, Elie Tahari, Kate Spade,Nike, and the list goes on! One of T.W.O.’s favorite spots to dine for lunch while shopping is True Food Kitchen, which has the most amazing salads!

Crystal Cove Shake Shack

Shake Shack is a great place to cool down with a shake and enjoy the views of the Pacific Ocean. This small little hut is located on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) near Laguna Beach that is worth stopping at! They are most famous for their date shake creation. So take your next date here and share a date shake!

Cannery, Newport Beach

A local favorite, The Cannery is a wonderful restaurant that is known for its gastronomical, fresh seafood. Whether you go for brunch, lunch dinner, or drinks, this waterfront spot will not be a disappointment. They also offer a fantastic happy hour from 4-6:30 PM daily!

TK Burger, Newport Beach

At the beach and craving a hamburger? T.W.O. would highly recommend that you make your way to TK Burger. This spot is filled with locals because they know that it is the best burger you can get in town with sand on your feet. All their food is fresh- never frozen and cooked to order. They also have locations in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Anaheim Hills and Santa Ana.

Happy Exploring!

San Francisco’s Off the Grid Presidio Picnic

Published on August 28, 2013August 22, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Every Sunday, dozens of gourmet food trucks, bakeries, and fresh produce stands gather in San Francisco’s Presidio for one of the largest public picnics T.W.O. has ever seen. There is live music, vendors walking around with wagons selling Bloody Mary kits, wine, beer and champagne and the best free entertainment-people watching! T.W.O. brought along a picnic basket, blanket and of course, a bottle of Rosé for a lovely afternoon sitting in the sun, while enjoying great company with family and 300 of their closest friends! Below are some photos of T.W.O.’s Presidio Picnic adventure!

(Click the mosaic to see a slideshow of the photos)