Oenotri Italian Restaurant, Napa

@Oenotri is an Italian restaurant located on First Street in downtown Napa. The food is Southern Italian style and is Michelin rated. We were lucky enough to eat there Saturday night with our son and cousins that live in the area.

The menu is seasonal and changes quite often with an incredible variety from pasta to dishes like Steelhead Trout. The appetizers were awesome which we ordered a variety to share between the five of us. I had the port loin which melted in my mouth. We later ordered a variety of desserts to share and my son and I had grappa in which we had a lot to choose from. Since it is Napa you also get a great wine list to choose from.

The staff have been there for a long time and the service was great. Our waiter was there when we needed him and stayed away enough so that we could socialize.

I would highly recommend @Oenotri for a dining experience in downtown Napa for the food, service and experience. It doesn't seem as touristy as some of the other restaurants and is located on the far end of First Street from the river. You can choose to dine inside or out.

Springtime in the Sierra Foothill Wineries

What a beautiful time of the year. This weekend we are looking at temps around 80 degrees. This is a perfect time to go up to the Sierra Foothill Wineries. From Sacramento you can get there in about one hour. Many wineries have special events going on. Check out this site for upcoming events.

https://amadorwine.com/events-4/

Amador isn't the only area to visit. Check out El Dorado County and Placer County for events in their areas.

Most wineries offer free tasting and don't limit the selection.

Mobile Passport

Having just got back from an international trip I was reminded that I need to say something about an app offered by the US Government that will make entry into the US a lot easier.

Mobile Passport is an application that you can download onto a mobile device that lets you enter the same information that you would have to do on a declaration worksheet or kiosk before entering the US. It is easy to download and use. The first time you use it it will ask for a passport number, name, etc. After the first time you don't have to enter it again. You also take a picture of yourself that is attached to your data. After the first time all you have to enter is the normal questions asked on the declaration sheet.

Once you are able to turn off airplane mode and access the internet you submit your declaration. Now for the good part. When you enter the immigration area there will be special lines for Mobile Passport users. On this trip entering in SFO there was no line for me where the normal line was backed up. I breezed through and was on my way to the baggage area.

The app is free and will save you a lot of time.

F1 Season Starts This Week

Well, here we go again. The start of the F1 season is upon us with the Australian Grand Prix this weekend in Melbourne. Last year I was able to attend and have a lot of great memories.

Wine Country Get-Away

Chateau St Jean

This week we did a mid-week get-away to the Napa and Sonoma wine country.  Our son lives in Napa and it was a great opportunity to see him and enjoy the experience so special to this area. I also belong to a few wine clubs and I was able to pick up my wine in person.

We went with our good friends Sue and Mark who we like to travel with.

For the wineries we started at Chateau St Jean @chateaustjean in Sonoma County to pick up wine and do a little tasting. The winery has a large tasting room and gift shop where you can taste inside or if the weather is nice sit outside. The grounds are beautiful and has the feel like you are in Europe. They also have a nice picnic area. There is also a tasting room in the mansion that is more intimate. We tasted there and sat by the fireplace while we enjoyed their wine and a tray of cheese. Mid-week you should be able to taste in the mansion but on weekends the main tasting room may be your only choice as the crowds are larger.

Domaine Carneros

Domaine Carneros @domainecarneros which is on highway 12 between Napa and Sonoma. The winery is on a small hill and looks like a French Chateau. There we picked up my sparkling wine and also did a tasting. The grounds there are also beautiful. When the weather permits sit outside on the deck.

Tasting Room 24

Sue and Mark are big Packer fans so we also went to Tasting Room 24 @tastingroom24 which is owned by Charles Woodson who played for the Packers. This is a tasting room in Napa that also has sparkling wine and beer. The winery specializes in Cabernet. The tasting room is in an industrial area in southern Napa but off the main highway. The tasting room also has football gear related to his playing days from college to pro.

I want to highlight two places we dined at. First, for dinner we ate at Bistro Jeanty @bistrojeanty in Yountville. I have been there before and love this place. They serve not only the best tomato soup but the best soup I have ever had. I would go there just for the soup but the rest of the menu is awesome. Go hungry as you will get a lot of food. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the area.

Boon Fly Cafe

For breakfast we ate at the Boon Fly Cafe @boonfly. It is located on Highway 12 just west of Napa as you are heading toward Sonoma. The cafe is small so you may have to wait but it is worth it. I had the Eggs Benedict with a touch of jalapeno in the hollandaise sauce.  It's not hot but just enough to add a special taste to the sauce. They also have chicken and waffles and make their own donuts. For breakfast you can't go wrong. There is also a bar and we had Bloody Mary's with a strip of bacon in the drink.

Meritage

Overnight we stayed at the Meritage Resort and Spa @meritage. It is a large resort with many restaurants, bars, wine tasting rooms and even a bowling alley. They also have a very nice pool area. This is more than a hotel and if you are staying for a longer time this may be the place to stay. Across the street is a building with tasting rooms from different wineries.

The CIA at Copia, Napa

A fork made from forks

While visiting Napa we went for drinks at the @ciacopia Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa. Here they have a restaurant, bar, store and they offer cooking classes. This time we went to the store and then the bar for some food and a few drinks. I want to look into the cooking classes as they look like fun.

It is located off of 1st street in downtown Napa. 

Napa Valley - Auburge Du Soleil

We went to Napa at the end of January to visit our son who recently moved there. He arrange wine tastings at a few wineries and on Sunday he made reservations at Auburge Du Soleil for breakfast. The spa resort is off of the Silverado Trail and up in the hills overlooking the valley. There are rooms to rent in a very peaceful environment and if you want to have a very relaxing getaway this is the place to stay. It's on the pricey side so maybe not for everyone. 

For breakfast we sat on the deck with an incredible view. The weather was perfect and sitting outside was very comfortable for this time of year. The restaurant is a Michelin Star Restaurant so you know the food is awesome. 

Even if you can't stay there the restaurant is reasonable and a great place to enjoy the Napa Valley.

From Napa take the Silverado Trail and drive 17 miles for about 25 minutes. The turn is on the right and a slight drive up the hill.