The images of Thai Buddhism will stay with me forever. The Golden, intricate figures and images are somehow soothing, awe inspiring, and even sacred. They are steeped in antiquity, history and worship. Look at the peaceful faces of the Buddhas, and the sometimes fierce aspect of the protectors. I do want to return to Thailand to see them all again.
10 months ago, my husband, Randy, went through the struggle of his life: a double lung transplant. It happened FAST. Life is precious. Want to know more? Transplant: An Unexpected Journey.
Randy and I just returned from an unbelievably wonderful and enjoyable trip…we flew into Orange County (John Wayne Airport) and drove up the Pacific Coast Highway, stopping in Santa Barbara, Carmel, Big Sur, Monterey, Moss Landing, San Francisco, and all the way to Shelter Cove, CA! Then we headed to Lake Tahoe to round out the 3 week trip. We saw old friends and beautiful new scenery along the way, and Randy, 10 months post double lung transplant, really advanced his recovery!
When the trip first started out, I believe he was a bit tentative, and he had every right to be. 10 months ago, when Randy woke up from his double lung transplant, he could barely lift his index finger, he could not speak, and certainly he could not walk. He has traveled a long road since then, and this trip helped him, not only with physical challenge, but with his confidence.
Randy ordered walking sticks before we left, to be delivered in Shelter Cove. They were never delivered, so Randy fashioned walking sticks out of redwood tree branches he found on the ground. We walked beaches, casinos, vista points, streets, hills, steeper hills, and a lot of stairs! Every day seemed to add to his abilities, and now that we are home, he finds that he is much stronger, and better able to navigate. It is amazing what a little physical challenge can do! And there were plenty of them! Here’s a recap of activities:
Santa Barbara has to be one of the most perfect spots on earth (in our humble opinion!)
San Luis Opisbo and the Madonna Inn!
Big Sur, big sounds and a big ocean! Big Elephant seals were a highlight along the way.
Carmel never fails to charm! The downtown area is just perfectly quaint and full of art!
Beautiful Monterey and its incomparable aquarium!
Monterey Bay is full of Humpbacks, seals and dolphins!
Chinatown, always a San Francisco Treat!
Shelter Cove is as remote as it gets, and the Avenue of the Giants is nearby!
Lake Tahoe was full of fun: rafting, beaching, renting a boat, going on a helicopter tour, and enjoying fireworks on the water on the 3rd, and over the water on the 4th!
And I must leave you with the most beautiful image of all: Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe!
GUEST BLOG BY SUZANNE STAVERT OF Adventures of Empty Nesters! Check out her blog!
I love surprises! I love to receive them, to observe them and to create them. Recently, I was the recipient of the most extravagant and very unexpected surprise. A surprise of gargantuan proportions! My husband invited me to the dinner of my dreams at The French Laundry!
It truly was the fantasy meal and ultimate dining experience of my life, and it was every bit and more than I could have ever imagined. I honestly felt like the most honored guest at a spectacular, gastronomic feast.
The French Laundry is located in Yountville, in the Napa Valley, in Northern California. The building is quaint and the downstairs dining room has low coffered ceilings (which makes it very cozy) and soft lighting (which makes everyone look great). We were greeted by our hostess in the restaurant’s courtyard even before we walked through the famous blue door with: “Are you the Stavert party?” “Yes” “Happy Birthday!”. As I looked at Craig with my “Yes we are taking a photo face” we smiled for the camera and now I have this gorgeous photo to enjoy forever!
As we were escorted to our table, I was wished Happy Birthday by no less than three servers on our stroll to our adorable, two-seat antique table in the corner. With butterflies of excitement and such personal attention, the evening was so meaningful!
We were each presented a lovely and lengthy menu made of ivory colored parchment placed in a long blue folder. The menus were embellished with “Happy Birthday Suzanne” typed across the top. Are you kidding me? No I am not. The greatest restaurant in the United States (maybe the world) singled me out on this magical night. AMAZING. At that early point in the evening I was already delightfully satisfied with my time at The French Laundry.
We were given the choice of either the “Tasting of Vegetables” or the “Chef’s Tasting Menu”. Craig and I decided to order one of each so we could experience every course that was available to us. I knew that I would be taking photos as discreetly as possible and since the room was lit almost entirely by candlelight, I wasn’t sure how many of the photos would be acceptable to share with all of you! Not all of the photos I took represented the dishes in all of their glory, so I will share with you a sampling of the very best photos.
There were seven impeccable and refined savory courses and approximately five magically prepared dessert courses. They were all executed, presented and choreographed like a beautiful dance. Near the end of the meal it was difficult to keep an accurate accounting of the sweet delicacies, so my descriptions are a little sketchy. Most certainly the bottle of champagne also contributed to the culinary euphoria and lack of memory. Each course was very tiny and delicate and consisted of only a few glorious bites. That being said, the dishes were almost indescribably delicious and I was already full by Course #5, but I managed to rally and enjoyed every single course!
Here are a few of the delicious, artistic, masterpieces! They were all truly a work of art in every bite.
This was the “funfetti” birthday cake served halfway through the dessert courses. Unbelievable! Only The French Laundry would have custom made plates to enhance this colorful and pink (my favorite color) birthday surprise!
My goal was to attempt to give you a flavor (pun intended) of our glorious birthday dinner at The French Laundry. There were several dishes not represented, not that I didn’t adore each one, but this way it entices you to make a reservation and experience this remarkable restaurant as well! As I wrote this post, I enjoyed reminiscing and recalling (as best I could) all of the details of the meal. It is said that “success is in the details”. This is so absolutely true for this exquisite restaurant in the heart of Napa Valley. I would do it again in a heartbeat, but until that special time comes again, I will be content to sit back and recall the most wonderful dining experience of my life. I am indeed a very lucky girl!
The drive to Lake Tahoe from Shelter Cove is about 8 hours, so we decided to break it up by leaving a day early from Shelter Cove. Randy’s legs have been swelling a bit due to his prednisone dosage(steroid), which he takes as a precaution against inflammation in his brand new lungs (see An Unexpected Journey, Lung Transplant). Why don’t I drive? Well, because Randy cannot stand it when I drive. I hear all kinds of bitching about what a terrifying driver I am (which is bullshit, pardon my French), but I dislike driving with Ran in the car because he constantly tells me everything I am doing wrong. Anyone would be nervous if they had constant criticism while they were driving. I like it better when he drives and bitches about all the other drivers and how they don’t know what they are doing.
By the time we were half the way to Tahoe, Randy decided he felt fine and wanted to drive on into Tahoe. I called my casino host at Caesar’s Group, Katy, and arranged a room at Harvey’s Hotel and Casino, with a gorgeous lake view! Not that I looked at it for very long as I was in the casino and playing in no time. Katy is my casino host with Caesar’s Group, which includes Harrah’s, Caesar’s, Harvey’s, Flamingo, Horseshoe, Rio…and other casinos and hotels. Yes. I enjoy gambling. I love to play poker, and I am pretty good at it. I don’t play the tables, especially not Texas Hold ‘em, which I find time consuming and boring. The table games are too S L O W. I can play 725 hands an hour on the video poker machines, so that’s where I head. Randy likes to play Hold ‘Em at the tables.
Within the first hour I hit a very nice jackpot, and….I kept winning. There is nothing like winning, right?!! And yes, you put some of those winnings back into the machine in order to win again, if you are lucky. I took a dinner break at Cabo Wabo (Sammy Hagar’s restaurant), but it was not a good meal, can’t say I recommend it (Sorry, Sammy). I’d rather eat at Taco Bell. I ended up sending my dinner back because it was slimy. Yuck. Randy’s meal was lousy as well. After a dinner I did not eat, I went back to the poker machines, and Randy went back to the poker tables. I was doing so well I arranged for a late check out the next day so I could play in the morning. Yep, I won again!
I come by my love of poker honestly…I can remember being a very, very little girl and watching my grandparents play penny poker with their friends. I grew up playing cards, Euchre (a trump game) and poker were my favorites. My mother and dad went to Vegas once a year, and after dad died, my mother, my mother in law, my cousin, and I (with various friends from year to year) did a yearly “girl’s trip” to Las Vegas. Sadly, my mother became a gambling addict, so those trips ended back in 2007 when Betty became very ill, and passed away. At that point, I tried to keep my mom away from casinos. That is another story…but I still love to hit the casinos every now and then. I play on my computer at home as well, training for my trips! The more you play, the better you get.
After a successful evening and morning at Harvey’s Casino (thanks Harvey!) we drove to the house we are staying at in Tahoma. It is a lovely home, with great lake views. We are members of 3rd Home, a great club for people with second homes. If you have a vacation home, you might want to take a look at it! Time to go exploring, I’ll be checking back in!
!
What a wonderful trip we are having in Northern California! And the best part? It isn’t over yet! We are currently in Shelter Cove, Ca., in the King’s Range Conservation Area, and on Saturday we head to Lake Tahoe. The wild Northern California coastline is just spectacular. From the Redwood Forests to the Pacific coast, this land is absolutely meant for me! And for you, too.
We watched a spearfisher today off the shore. Whew, talk about cold! I think the smell of abalone brought in the vultures, because they were all over the place today, including on our deck!
The Black Sand Beach is stunning. I showed it to Randy today, and we took a walk, then sat down for a while. We were joined by a bird! The 3 of us watched the fog rolling in from the ocean.
Tomorrow, we are off to Lake Tahoe! To be continued…..
What is a trip to California’s Monterey Bay without going on a whale watching expedition? It would be incomplete! Randy and I headed out with Sanctuary Cruises, and we were not disappointed.
It is the time of year for whales to migrate south along the Pacific Coast, and during the summer months Monterey Bay has more than it’s share of marine mammals. I cannot begin to count the number of Humpback Whales we saw! Sanctuary Cruises carries a Marine Biologist on board for every cruise so you can learn about the whales, the bay, and other marine animals. I LOVED it! We were barely out of the marina when we began seeing Humpbacks! What a thrill! They are immense creatures, and we were lucky enough to see mothers and babies, and groups of 2 or 3 whales together.
Our marine biologist, Doris, called the groups of male seals around the whales “gangs”, and the term is certainly apt. Look at the size difference in size between these seals and a whale tail! The seals were so fast, and whenever a group of them came into view, the whales followed.
Humpbacks do not have teeth, they are filter feeders, basically. They have baleen to filter out the water from the krill they eat. Isn’t it interesting that the world’s largest creatures feed on the smallest ones?
The trip was so exciting that I stood on the edge of the boat the whole time, just waiting and looking for them. When I returned from the trip, my feet and legs were absolutely killing me. I didn’t feel the pain while the whales were around, but by the evening I was limping. It was worth it!
Next time, I’ll be kayaking the bay with whales!
