There is definetely something to say about a trip to Wine Country California. There is how the trip really happened... and then, there is how I remember it. You know Bacchus - the original inspirer of ritual madness and ecstasy- the god of wine- is around when there is an over-indulgement of pleasure and lose recollection of events to go along with it. The Greek god believed solely in great wine + great food = Ecstasy. Aside from sex, food and wine were of the highest of human indulgences and he sure knew what he was talking about. So this is my expedition through wine country with Bacchus as my tour guide. In these words lay the enchantment, splendor, and passion that is entwined in the vines of the Valley.
After a six hour flight from Miami to San Francisco, I was about ready to pop out of my seat! Having listened to the same song on my ipod over 30times (wouldn't you like to know what that song was?) and reading US weekly front to back, had me at the verge of insanity. I was eager to get this project started afterall, I was there to film a couple of segments on the topic of "Why I decided to open a wine-country themed restaurant in Miami?" We retrieved our bags, realized how cold it was through the airport sliding doors, and went for the rental car. A short drive from SFO to the Hyatt Regency at the Embarcadero, would have us hungry enough to film our first segment entitled, "What DIM SUM has Maximum Flavor in the largest China Town in the country?" It was fun and wierd. And did I say WIERD? I tasted things I had never tasted or ever imagined of tasting and then there were the things I've longed to taste for a while now, like the BBQ Pork Buns. Now, I know what you're thinking when I say, "BBQ pork buns" - you're thinking middle America, smokey, and sweet. How about this for a change: It's a handmade fat-free dough that's steamed with super tender pork butt folded into the center. The pork butt is slow cooked in hoisin (chinese BBQ sauce) garlic, and ginger. FANTABULOUS! The texture, the flavor...oh...the way the steam hits your nose when you take your first bite. In my book, everyone should have at least one BBQ Pork Bun in their lifetime.
It wasn't even 3pm yet, and I had flown across the country and knocked out our first segment. Thank God for time zone changes and the three hour favor. It was now time for some sight-seeing. The job has its perks I must say. In my opinion, there is no better way to see a city and really get to know it, than using the best transportation there is - your feet. We walked ten miles from the Embarcadero to Fisherman's Wharf and back and perhaps it was one of the most beautiful walks I have ever taken. I had one of the greatest cities in the country to my left and the majestic San Francisco Bay to my right. Alcatraz, the Golden Gate, and the Bay Bridge all decorating the deep blue waters. I was taking steps along the second busiest area of traffic in the United States - the first being Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The Embarcadero was the waterfront roadway to many historical events and not to mention, site to many Ernest Hemingway novels. There you had it...the Navy Ships and Submarines, the famous Ferry Building, the Aquatic Park, Cupid's Span, Market Street, the oldest Carousel, the Valliancourt Fountain, and most definetely, the world reknown cable cars. In that walk, I understood why Tony Bennett "Left his heart in San Francisco."
The more I walked the hungrier I got and I wasn't in the mood for a regular restuarant...How about a dungeness crab stand where you pick your live crab and they steam it right in front of you? Perfect! Fresh lemon, butter, and a Pellegrino Limonata to accompany it. I think I have been slipped the dream card. A stroll down the pier to the Delta Queen (an old historic steamboat docked at Pier 1 1/2) was just right as the dark night fell onto the bay. As we made our way back to our hotel, I asked myself , "Could this city really have more charm?"
To be continued...
Part 2 - 5:00am Drive to Napa Valley
