Travel Review - Paso Robles Wine Country

I'd been craving a wine country getaway since my first whiff of autumn in the air, but it took us until well into spring to make it happen. Wherever you are in the US, wine country isn't far away since all 50 states have vineyards now. But it had been nearly two years since our last California wine adventure, and we really wanted to head back to the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area (AVA).

Even if you're not into wine, it's a beautiful area to visit. Paso Robles (or Paso, as the locals call it) is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, about a 3 1/2- to 4-hour drive, depending on your chosen route, from both SFO (San Francisco International Airport) and LAX (Los Angeles International Airport). And you can fly into the nearby (40 minutes) San Luis Obispo airport from Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Denver. Don't like to fly? Amtrak stops in Paso Robles. 

There are good accommodations at every price point and of every type. Some vineyards even have a few guest rooms, I learned! We were fortunate enough to stay at the full-service resort we stayed at on our first trip, Allegretto Vineyard Resort, and enjoyed every minute. We needed what I like to call a "personalized self-guided wellness retreat" or "one-stop ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation." Or as Mr Delightful put it: We needed a vacation like nobody's business!

Of course, we went out and about, tasting wine, eating wonderful meals, seeing beautiful scenery, visiting charming downtowns; but if we had never left the property we could have been happy. The restaurant, Cello, is not your usual hotel restaurant. It is a serious--but unstuffy--restaurant where you'll run into as many locals as guests. Headed up by executive chef Justin Picard, it is about fresh, local ingredients and artisan cookery. 

Though I could have tea in my room any time (someone had thoughtfully replaced all the Keurig coffee with assorted teas; and I had brought along, as always, my tea travel kit), I was thrilled to be able to get a proper cup of tea in the restaurant, even at the bar. If you are a tea aficionado in the US, you know what a rarity that is!

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to experience the Spa at Allegretto, but it looked lovely. Here's a peek at their outdoor relaxing area.

This property is a labor of love for its owner-creator whose personal collection of art and artifacts spanning multiple centuries and cultures is seen throughout the resort, inside and out. One of my favorites is this one, and I bet you can guess why!

There's plenty to see and do, even if you have no interest in wine. We would have enjoyed the Pioneer Museum, but it's only open Thursday through Sunday. And there's horseback riding, zip line tours, a water park, craft breweries and distilleries (we prefer wine), all sorts of things we didn't manage to drag ourselves out for. The charming downtown is walkable and so fun!

There are lots of great places to eat in Paso Robles and the surrounding area, including Fish Gaucho, Thomas Hill Organics and Novo. Novo Restaurant & Lounge, in downtown San Luis Obispo, features locally sourced, globally inspired cuisine in a serene creekside setting.

I wanted to walk over this gorgeous little footbridge, but it didn't happen. Next time.

In inclement weather, it would have been a pleasure to dine in the historic building, but we never miss an opportunity to dine outdoors. The comfortably heated patio perched over the creek was idyllic. Mr Delightful was so dazzled by the setting I was afraid he'd not pay enough attention to the food! But the food stood up to the view. And the service was outstanding.

We enjoyed visiting the tasting room at Allegretto, sampling the excellent wines and watching Stephanie work the room. I have no idea how she kept track of what everyone was tasting. She was knowledgeable about the wines, and we also appreciated her restaurant recommendations.

Our visit to Eberle Winery, which cultivates 64 acres of vines over five vineyards with different soil-climate combinations to suit particular grapes, was the highlight of our stay. The time we spent getting acquainted with the Eberles was priceless. Both raconteurs, they kept us entertained! We even got to meet the winemaker, Chris Eberle (not related).

Following a tour of the 16,000 square feet of underground wine caves (photo below), we sat on the deck overlooking the vineyard and tasted lots of wine. Like any self-respecting blogger, I should have taken a picture of the view from the deck, I should have taken lots of pictures; but I was in the moment.   

Photo courtesy of Eberle Winery

As we sipped wine and nibbled cheeses, savories and dried fruits and drank in the view, we learned the history of this pioneer of Central Coast winemaking and a lot about the region and wine in general. 

Tasting each wine, I pictured what foods I would pair it with; for example, a pork roast and fruit sauce with the Syrah, a traditional roast beef dinner with the Cabernet. Can't wait to break open a bottle!  

Disclosure: Though parts of this trip were comped or discounted, I assure you that does not alter my opinions or influence my review. I always tell my readers exactly what I think.

Jean

Travel Review - Paso Robles Wine Country - Allegretto Vineyard Resort

Cello Ristorante & Bar at dawn 

The very first morning I sense autumn in the air sets off a longing to visit wine country. Since all 50 states have some acreage in vineyard cultivation, that could be anywhere.

 

I first narrowed it down to California's Central Coast AVA (American Viticultural Area), which is home to hundreds of wineries and covers a vast area, then narrowed it down to a sub-region with more than 200 wineries, the Paso Robles AVA.

The Paso Robles AVA has been further subdivided into 11 AVAs that those of you interested in wine will want to look into. Not interested in wine? Stay tuned--there's more to the area than its wine.

Paso Robles is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, about a 3 1/2- to 4-hour drive, depending on your chosen route, from both SFO (San Francisco International Airport) and LAX (Los Angeles International Airport). And you can fly into the nearby (40 minutes) San Luis Obispo airport from Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Denver. Don't like to fly? Amtrak stops in Paso Robles.

Next step, choosing a place to stay. There are a number of good possibilities, but one seemed most likely to fill the bill for this particular leg of our journey, which was to be a relaxing Midweek Break.

 

With relaxation as the ultimate goal, we needed a place that had it all--wonderful room,* pool,** spa, food, wine--a "one-stop shop" where one can park the car and forget it for a few days, finding all one's needs met onsite for nonstop relaxation. The place? Allegretto Vineyard Resort, the sort of place you can settle into and decide not to go out at all.

* Our room was spacious (425 square feet), well-appointed and pristine.

Serious swimmers like Mr Delightful appreciate the size and regular shape of the pool, while dry-hair bobbers like me are more inclined to appreciate things like thick terry cloth covers on the loungers and big, fluffy pool towels. And I'm a cabana girl!

 

** Another thing we appreciated about the pool is that there was no music. Once in a while we encounter a resort with music at the pool, and that is a definite no-no for us. We love music, but not necessarily someone else's choice and not at the pool! If any hotel guests want music at the pool, let them use their headphones. We preferred hearing the birds chirp!

And there's plenty to see and do, even if you have no interest in wine. We would have enjoyed the Pioneer Museum, but it's only open Thursday through Sunday. And there's horseback riding, zip line tours, a water park, craft breweries and distilleries (we prefer wine), all sorts of things we didn't manage to drag ourselves out for. The charming downtown is walkable and so fun!

 

As my regular readers have probably gathered, I am very particular about where I stay; and the way I can find flaws would make me the ideal person for any hotelier to hire to have me point out the error of his ways. The hotel we chose, Allegretto Vineyard Resort, disappointed me in that regard--I had nothing to complain about!

 

The Mediterranean-inspired Allegretto has a laid-back vibe, something I call refined rusticity. If you like the convenience of free valet parking, they have that. If you prefer to park it yourself, as we do, you can do that too. If you want help with your luggage, they have that. If you travel light, as we do, assistance isn't forced upon you.

This property is a labor of love for its owner-creator whose personal collection of art and artifacts spanning multiple centuries and cultures is seen throughout the resort, inside and out. The focal point of the Piazza Magica is a fountain with a natural sandstone formation at its center.

Besides the acres of vineyards and olive trees, the gardens make for beautiful views everywhere you look.

This garden path on the left side of the hotel leads to the little Abbaye de Lerins, barely visible through the fog. I only got to enjoy the brief early-morning fog because I got up early to watch the sunrise over the vineyard. 

We never dined on the patio, but I couldn't help noticing the whimsical patio heaters that look like giant lamps. Cute and tasteful!


 

The restaurant, Cello Ristorante & Bar, headed up by executive chef Justin Picard, is about fresh ingredients and artisan cookery. I loved meeting him and touring his kitchen and garden. Fine food in a beautiful setting, but you're just as welcome in jeans and boots as in your finery. I don't know about you, but we're not interested in hauling our dress clothes on vacation.

 

Though I could have tea in my room any time (someone had thoughtfully replaced all the Keurig coffee with assorted teas; and I had brought along, as always, my tea travel kit), I was thrilled to be able to get a proper cup of tea in the restaurant.

 

When I ordered tea for breakfast, the coffee mug was taken away and replaced by a cup and saucer. And the matching (beautiful rustic pottery) teapot had a decent capacity (probably about 25 ounces). The organic tea bags were the proper "pyramid" sort with plenty of room for the leaves to unfurl. If you're not a tea drinker, you may not appreciate how truly rare this is in the US!

 

There are lots of great places to eat in Paso Robles, including Thomas Hill Organics (which we loved), but more times than not we found ourselves "at home" at Cello. One evening we enjoyed a bar meal and had the pleasure of watching Travis the bartender mixing drinks, some of his own invention, and mixing with the customers. Sooo fun!

 

The wine tasting was exceptional. John, the director of wine hospitality, doesn't just know the Allegretto Vineyard wines, he knows all about wine and the wine industry. I was so engrossed that I forgot to take pictures, so I was "forced" to open a bottle of wine at home to stage this photo!

 

Disclosure: Though parts of this trip were comped or discounted, I assure you that does not alter my opinions or influence my review. I always tell my readers exactly what I think.

Afternoon Tea Review - Hotel Bel-Air

Afternoon tea, as my regular readers know, is a way of life for me. Whether hosting afternoon tea parties in my home or garden or going out for afternoon tea, it does something for me that no other dining experience can.

Spending time with a friend in the Los Angeles area (a friend I introduced to tea more than twenty years ago) happened to coincide with an invitation to try the afternoon tea at the legendary Hotel Bel-Air. My first visit to the Bel-Air was for a friend's wedding 24 years ago. Now, as then, I was surprised and delighted by the illusion of being miles from the city.

Hotel Bel-Air is not so much a hotel landscaped with gardens as it is lush gardens that include a hotel. Part of the Dorchester Collection, it is a luxury hotel but somehow manages to evoke laid-back-California-casual in a way you wouldn't expect from a big-city hotel.

On this comfortably warm early autumn day, tea was served on the open-air, but sheltered, "alfresco" terrace. We enjoyed a glass of mineral water (still or sparkling) while our chosen loose leaf black teas, Darjeeling and Assam, were brewed and decanted, eliminating that problem of the last cups from the pot being "stewed."

First up was a delightful assortment of sandwiches: a crab roll on a brioche bun, cucumber and herbed cream cheese on toasted pain de mie, organic chicken salad on walnut bread, wild mushroom duxelle and goat cheese en croute and two fabulous Gruyere and caramelized onion "grilled cheese" on sourdough.

I'm sure the house cured smoked salmon with dill cream and micro arugula on brioche sandwich is superb, but neither of us really like smoked salmon and so, on our server's recommendation, replaced it with the grilled cheese. In a word, fabulous!

Then the warm sour cherry, blueberry and buttermilk almond scones were served with quite an assortment of accompaniments: housemade raspberry jam, strawberry jam and apple butter; Echire butter and Devonshire cream. If you're a stickler for traditional scones, brace yourself; these "scones" are more like a puff pastry, perhaps not a "true" scone but delicious nevertheless.

More pots of tea got us through the final dessert course: chocolate dipped cream puff, coconut macaroon, French macaron, pistachio financier and huckleberry cheesecake. I'm not really one for sweets but must say I especially enjoyed the pistachio financier and gorgeous little cheesecake. I always save a sandwich, in this case my "extra" grilled cheese, to have at the end; I like to think it balances out the sugar. 

Good news for those with special dietary requirements: you can order their recently launched "healthy" afternoon tea with gluten-free and sugar-free options.

For reservations, call Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air at 310-909-1644. For tea at home, see: How to Make a Proper Cup of Tea and Tea and Scones. Look under Teatime on my Recipes index page for other teatime recipes.

Disclosure: Though I attended the afternoon tea as a guest of Hotel Bel-Air, I assure you that does not alter my opinions or affect my review.

Travel Review - Lake Arrowhead - Food, Lodging, Activities

Am I just timid, or is it normal for a lifelong flatlander to be a little anxious about heading to the mountains? I needn't have worried; I didn't even feel a twinge of carsickness. Just 90 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and 44 miles east of LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California, Lake Arrowhead is an accessible and very popular destination in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Lake Arrowhead is a man-made lake carved out of a forest of several species of pine, as well as cedar, alders, oaks, willows, cottonwoods, dogwood and things I wouldn't recognize. On the south shore of the lake stands the Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa. The atmosphere of the resort could be described as upscale but casual, refined but relaxed.

For starters, valet parking is available for those who want it but is not forced on those who do not. Bellmen are there to assist if needed but not to escort each and every guest to his room just to point out the light switches. The lobby is spacious and comfortable, decorated in a "mountain style." Our first order of business was to have lunch, so the bellman stored our luggage until we were ready to pick up our keys. 

Aroma's is a combination snack bar-gift shop that we didn't get a chance to try because we enjoyed the restaurant so much. BIN189 is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As I mentioned, our first meal was lunch--outside, overlooking the lake, of course. No photos of the food, I'm afraid. What kind of food blogger dives into her lunch before she has photographed it? A very hungry one! But, take my word for it, it was gorgeous.

Then we checked into our room. Wow! We stepped through double doors into a stylish entry hall, with a powder room to the right. Ahead was a large dining room and a living room with a fireplace. Both rooms had sliding glass doors to the wrap-around balcony overlooking the lake. To the left was the bedroom with a wall of windows, also overlooking the lake, and another fireplace. The bathroom was just as luxurious as you would expect to find in a lakeview corner suite.

After wine and cheese on the balcony (looking at the view above), it was time for dinner at BIN189. I had enjoyed the Creamy Chicken and Mushroom soup at lunch so much that I ordered it again at dinner! My husband had the Porterhouse Pork Chop, which he pronounced delicious.

Of course, I'm all about the food; but I did manage to do a few non-food activities the next day. I am a great believer in the benefits of massage, so scheduled a massage in the Spa of the Pines on the first floor. The spa is gorgeous and well-appointed and has the ideal spa atmosphere. I'm sure all the massage therapists at Spa of the Pines are very good, but my therapist was exceptionally good. So much so that I scheduled an appointment with her the next day for my husband.

The spa also has estheticians on staff--what a treat that would be (as long as I don't have to look at my skin through that magnifying glass)! Hmm ... maybe next time ... There is also a full-service salon at the spa. I just might be willing to try taking a steam next time, too, as long as I can get my hair done afterward!

Another fun non-food thing we did: a narrated tour of the lake. The Arrowhead Queen is a traditional paddlewheel Mississippi riverboat. Tours run every hour and a half. Though our captain had already taken several groups out that day, his narration was as fresh as if we were his first. I plan to take the tour every time I return to Lake Arrowhead!

Though we would have been happy to have a second dinner at BIN189, a friend recommended The Grill at Antlers Inn in nearby Twin Peaks. This log-cabin mountain lodge restaurant is very popular with the locals, and deservedly so. We had the Tequila Chicken Fettuccine and the Chicken and Penne Gorgonzola, both excellent. (For squeamish types like me--you will be relieved to find that, despite the name, there are no animal body parts on the walls!)

We had little time on this trip to explore charming Lake Arrowhead Village--something we will definitely do next time. And there will be a next time!

PS Did I mention the pool and private beach? Oh well, another time ...

Disclosure: Though parts of this trip were comped or discounted, I assure you that does not alter my opinions or influence my reviews.

Travel Reviews - Napa Valley - Food, Wine, Lodging

My view of the vineyards from Castello di Amorosa wall

We recently had to make an unexpected trip to a little town in northern California, so I looked on the map to see how far we would be from other interesting destinations. Turned out, Napa Valley was quite close! Sacramento International Airport made the most sense for our itinerary, but San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento international airports are equidistant (about an hour) from Napa; so take your pick.

Update 10/13/16: Just posted another Travel Review - Napa Valley, featuring different places.

We checked in at our hotel, Westin Verasa Napa, on the riverbank in downtown Napa. We selected the Westin because of its proximity to the Napa Valley Wine Train and the Oxbow Public Market* as well as for its own features. I never really relax and enjoy a vacation unless I'm staying in a really nice hotel with really good food nearby! Our deluxe king room at the Westin more than met my requirements for a hotel room: spacious, clean, quiet, well appointed, pleasant view.

Photo courtesy of The Westin

This room had things I didn't even get around to using! It had an in-room kitchenette with granite countertops, refrigerator, microwave, cooktop (yes, I said cooktop!), sink and dishwasher (that's right, dishwasher!), as well as cupboards full of dishes, flatware, cookware and utensils. But with so many good things on the menu downstairs at the Bank Cafe and Bar and just down the street at Oxbow Public Market, I was not going to be doing any cooking.

Bank Café and Bar had seriously good food, and one of my favorites just happened to also be vegetarian and gluten-free. It is called Panisse Cake and is topped, as you can see below, with lots of seasonal mushrooms.

The large pool, perfect for even serious lap swimmers (I'm a dry-hair bobber myself), and the hot tub are in a beautiful setting which includes cabanas for shade-lovers like me. Just outside the pool area is the lovely riverwalk along the Napa River. 

* Oxbow Public Market (photo below) is rather like a rustic, upscale, non-chain, slow food, newfangled food court where you can dine--seafood, crepes, Mexican, Italian, Venezuelan, et cetera--inside or on the riverfront patio or buy fresh meat, charcuterie, cheese, tea, coffee, spices, olive oil, wine, chocolates, tableware, all sorts of fabulous things.

  
The next morning, we walked across the street to the Napa Valley Wine Train. Checking in was a breeze and the charming station is a comfortable place to wait for the antique train. You can even taste wine before departure. We perused the gift shop so we could make our purchases quickly when we got back to the station. The staff, both in the station and on board, clearly love what they do. 

Photo courtesy of The Wine Train

There are several options. Ours was the Castle Tour, for which lunch service is completed on the trip up valley since the return is by motorcoach. We were seated at a table with a lovely couple from Cincinnati who were kind enough to rearrange their seating so that I, being prone to motion sickness, could face forward. Turns out, I did not have even a tiny problem! I don't think anyone on the whole train had a problem. Everyone looked healthy and happy! 

There is a wine tasting bar on board with dozens of wines to choose from, but I was so comfy and lazy I just had wine at the table. I enjoyed looking at the kitchen cars. Can you imagine cooking and serving on a moving train--I'm sure I'd be fired on my very first day!

My husband started with a salad that he declared delicious, and my roasted cauliflower soup with smoked salmon garnish was exceptional. I liked it so much I would have been happy to have another bowl with their excellent bread and call it lunch. We both chose the chicken main course (Coriander Mustard Encrusted Breast of Chicken topped with Endive-Radicchio‐Feta Salad in a Citrus Beurre Blanc), the couple from Cincinnati had the pork and the couple across the aisle from us had the beef. We were all very pleased with our choices!

The restrooms on board were a pleasant surprise, small but not cramped (nothing like those on airplanes) and had a basket of cloth towels rather than paper towels. I was impressed--one of the many ways the Wine Train exceeded my expectations!

Those of us who would be leaving the train up valley for winery tours moved to plush swivel chairs in a lounge car for dessert. We had the crème brulee topped with fresh berries (wonderful!) and our new friends from Cincinnati enjoyed (she said "inhaled"!) the chocolate dessert.

Fourteen of us disembarked at St Helena and boarded a very comfortable shuttle to Castello di Amorosa, a must-see winery in Calistoga. Even if you're not a wine drinker, this is a place that puts the "sight" into "sightseeing." The owner's fascination with Italian medieval architecture led him to begin drawing the plans 19 years ago. The original plans kept expanding until the castle, built over more than a dozen years using old, handmade materials and ancient techniques, reached its current 121,000 square feet. 

The photo at the top of the post is a vineyard view from the castle wall. The last, French oak barrels. We tasted about twenty wines and learned a lot from our enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide. You can read my Castello di Amorosa Sangiovese 2009 Napa Valley review here, and I'll be writing about others over the coming months. We want to go back to Napa and do it all again!   

Disclosure: Though parts of this trip were comped or discounted, I assure you that does not alter my opinions.

Afternoon Tea Review - Montage Beverly Hills

You might as well know it, I am not a normal woman. I don't like chocolate (though I make chocolate stuff for others). And--true confession time--I hate (detest, abhor, loathe) shopping. I know a lot of women who rely on "retail therapy" to cheer them up, but nothing does that for me quite like afternoon tea. Aah-fternoon tea. 

On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I joined a friend for afternoon tea at Montage Beverly Hills. She reminded me that it's been more than twenty years since I introduced her to the pleasures of afternoon tea and it had been three months since we had last gone out for tea together. We agreed it's crucial to our well-being and that we must have tea together more often.

 

Such a pair of avid tea aficionados--okay, okay, make that tea snobs--have, as you might assume, pretty high standards. We want ambience, excellent scones with the proper accompaniments, a sufficient number of well-made sandwiches, assorted pastries and proper tea. Doesn't sound like too much to ask, but you'd be surprised at how few places merit a perfect score.

 

Let's start with ambience. Though just a few years old, Montage manages to create the illusion of the old-world elegance I love. Tensions melted away as we sank into comfy chairs at a window table looking out on the courtyard, a park-like oasis right in the city. A glass of sparkling wine, along with the serene sounds of the harp, struck just the right note.

Of course, we like to think we add to the
ambience by dressing for the occasion!

The table was set with lovely china, and when our server brought out the two trays of accompaniments--one with milk, honey and lemon for the tea and one with clotted cream, lemon curd and raspberry jam for the scones--we practically swooned! We thought, Clearly these people know what they're doing!

Our chosen teas were brought out in two full-sized teapots after they were brewed. Thank you! I can't tell you how much I hate being served a tiny pot of "hot" water and an assortment of teabags! When the traditional three-tiered stand was set before us, we started with the scones. Excellent--the proper texture and not too sweet. The quality of the lemon curd, raspberry jam and especially the clotted cream was well above the usual. As you can see from the photo below, we like clotted cream a lot!

 

The sandwiches--turkey, fig and mascarpone; curried chicken salad; cucumber; hummus and grilled carrots; watercress; and egg salad (two of those, because neither of us cares for smoked salmon)--each on a different bread--were delicious and satisfying.

 

I usually skip the little pastries at tea. To me they're just decoration for the tea table. So I can't really comment on those except to say that they were indeed very pretty.

For reservations, call 310-499-4199 (Montage, 225 N Canon Drive, Beverly Hills). For tea at home, see: How to Make a Proper Cup of Tea, Tea and Scones, and my review of the Zojirushi Water Boiler and Warmer. 

And, tell me, do you prefer shopping or afternoon tea? Or both?