At the top of my list of “Who knew?” weekend getaway destinations is Tri-Valley, a triangle-shaped region about 30 miles southeast from San Francisco that’s best known for its pleasant Mediterranean climate, award-winning wine region, and the historic downtown areas of Pleasanton, Livermore, and Danville. Think of it as an affordable, crowd-free, and closer alternative to Carmel and Napa, yet with all the same alluring attractions: wine tasting, boutique shopping, farmers markets, fine dining, hiking trails, world-class golfing, and adorable old-fashioned downtowns—all within easy driving distance. Read full article »
Food & Wine
A Visit To Tri-Valley
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010Wine Country With Kids
Sunday, July 25th, 2010
A weekend getaway to Napa or Sonoma County used to mean leaving the kids with Grandma. But times have changed and California’s Wine Country isn’t just for grown-ups anymore. Kids may not want anything to do with those funny looking grapes, but that doesn’t mean they won’t savor their vacation just as much as you. An area whose claim to fame is first class wine can also claim fabulous food, unforgettable parks, and quite simply some great outdoor spaces where kids can run around and be… kids. Read full article »
The Top 7 Wine-Tasting Tours
Sunday, July 11th, 2010
As the former author of Frommer’s Wine Country I’ve visited a lot of wineries in Napa and Sonoma and taken dozens of tours. One of the questions I get asked most by readers is, “Which winery has the best tour?” Well, that depends. If you don’t know anything about how wine is made, I recommend a comprehensive tour by one of the major wineries—they’ve got the Wine for Dummies thing down. The seven listed here are my top picks for an enjoyable weekend of learning the wine-making process. Read full article »
Secrets of Sonoma III – Seven Sustainable Sensations
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
At what point does a person become so passionate about honey bees that he decides to devote his life to making honey? Or baking the perfect loaf of bread? Or growing carnivorous plants? I’ve always admired people who had the guts and determination to exchange their white collars for green thumbs, move to the country, and pursue their passion of making goat cheese or growing organic mushrooms. There’s always an inspiring lesson to learn when you meet these mavericks of the “locavore” movement, and Sonoma County is ground zero for learning the difference between Safeway and the Sonoma way. Read full article »
SECRETS of SONOMA: Epicurean Adventures
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
When your three top talents are eating, sleeping, and criticizing, your career options are pretty limited, so it’s a good thing that I ended up being a travel writer. But it’s the eating for a living that I enjoy the most. That, and being able to share my finds with fellow food lovers. Lately I’ve been tooling around Sonoma County on a never-ending quest for the perfect hamburger (as noble a pursuit as any in my opinion), revisiting some my restaurant favorites and discovering a few new gems that I’d like to share with you. Read full article »
Wonderful Wine Getaways II
Sunday, November 15th, 2009
When you mention the Wine Country most people think of Napa or Sonoma Valley. But true wine geeks have long known that some of Northern California’s best wine and wine-tasting experiences can be found well beyond the valleys, often at family owned wineries tucked away on one-lane roads that would be impossible to find if it weren’t for the periodic signs pointing you in the right direction. It’s experiences like these—casual yet captivating conversations with winemakers as you savor the fruits of their years of hard work—that make visiting these esoteric wineries worth the effort. Ergo, here is Round 2 of my “Who knew?” favorites. Read full article »
Wonderful Wine Getaways
Sunday, August 30th, 2009
When you mention the Wine Country most people think of Napa or Sonoma Valley. But true wine geeks have long known that some of Northern California’s best wine and wine-tasting experiences can be found well beyond the valleys, often at family owned wineries tucked away on one-lane roads that would be impossible to find if it weren’t for the periodic signs pointing you in the right direction. It’s experiences like these—casual yet captivating conversations with winemakers as you savor the fruits of their years of hard work—that make visiting these esoteric wineries worth the effort. Here are a few of my “Who knew?” favorites. Read full article »
Wine Country Getaways
Sunday, May 17th, 2009
If you’ve ever been to Napa Valley or Sonoma Valley on a sunny summer weekend then you already know what it’s like to wait in traffic and stand in line. It’s a frustrating experience, especially when all you desire is a relaxing weekend getaway to the Wine Country. That’s why, right now, you’re going to pick up your day-planner and pencil in a May getaway to the Wine Country. Late spring is a wonderful time to visit the valleys and see the flowers in bloom—forget-me-nots, begonias, lavender, tulips, poppies, roses—while driving the traffic-free roads from winery to winery. So to get you started in the getaway-planning mode, here’s a short-list of some of my favorite wine-tasting tours in Napa and Sonoma. Read full article »
Romantic Getaway: A romantic 2-night Santa Cruz getaway package to 
