I finally have a chance to put together some of the travel experiences Nancy and I had this 2024 Holiday Season. It was a Great Holiday Season! We had the chance to visit her family in Redwood City. This gave her the chance to see her favorite grandkid (don’t tell the other grandkids please!) The reality is that her favorite grandkid is probably the one she happens to be talking to at the time!
Was the weather the best? Not so much…but we had a really great time walking; visiting the local sites; visiting a couple of museums to take the grandkid; and enjoying lots of good food! Let’s get into it!
EATALY
It seems whenever we come into town, we have to visit Eataly. I wish there was one of their locations close to us in Temecula. Everything you ever wanted related to Italian food, supplies, meats, cheeses, and pasta. You name it; they have it!
Eataly’s Pane Rustico, Fettuccini e Parmigiana e Tartufo, Burrata e Caponata
Above you see a couple of our dishes that were pretty special; Heated Fettuccini was swirled inside a Parmigiana wheel with Truffles and the Eggplant Caponata with Burrata. More about Caponata later in the blog post. If you haven’t had burrata before, you need to pick some up at Barons or Trader Joe’s and enjoy. Add it to a Pasta or Salad and you will be happy you did!
HILLER AVIATION MUSEUM & ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Nancy’s family had tickets to attend a kid’s event at the Hiller Aviation Museum. A great way to view history and entertain the little ones. I have to admit, being in the presence of a whole lot of screaming kids may have left a mark on my psyche. I will get over it. The grandkid had a great time!
Hiller Aviation Museum
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
The grandkid loves the Academy of Sciences; so much to see; so little time; a good day was had by all! We will return to visit the parts we missed.
THE BRIDGES AND BUILDINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
We did not have time to do a lot of the touristy things but we had a couple of days we used to check out a few areas. In the meantime, I was able to take pictures of some interesting views. We happened to be around when a giant rainbow was showing off around the piers.
SULA AT CAVALLO POINT, SAUSALITO
I would definitely return to this restaurant. Everything we ate turned out perfect.
I had the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. It was so good that I had to make my version of the dessert when I returned home. It is just a very decadent dessert that leaves you licking the plate. (I would never do that though; well, maybe I would!) Check here for my recipe for the Sticky Toffee Pudding) Usually, I am not a dessert guy, but this dessert is that good!
TSAR NICHOLAI CAVIAR, FERRY PLAZA SAN FRANCISCO
I have been enjoying Tsar Nicholai Caviar for a long time. It’s perfect for special occasions and even those not-so-special occasions. When we entered the Ferry Plaza I was happily surprised to see that they had a little Cafe showcasing their caviar. We obviously had to stop and enjoy. Watch out if you have young children…you may be starting a lifelong habit!
START ‘EM YOUNG
This kid knows how to eat well! Good job parents!!
CAN’T EAT OUT ALL THE TIME
As much fun as I have traveling and eating out, you can’t do much of that in the San Francisco area without taking out a loan. Nancy’s son-in-law, Viet loves to cook as I do. I froze some “Cardiff Crack” tri-tip from San Diego and we threw it on the smoker for a BBQ night. Viet made an eggplant caponata just like the one we had at Eataly. I haven’t experimented much with cooking eggplant, but I am looking forward to putting some recipes together to try. It turned out to be a great night of eating. Keep an eye out for new recipes!
ALHAMBRA IRISH HOUSE
This Bar was the best. I never met an Irish Bar I couldn’t find something to like; but the staff and drinks were just great. I was looking for an Irish Whiskey I haven’t had before and that had a little age. The manager pulled the bottle in the picture out. It was damn good! I appreciate the great service that Viet and I received at this Bar. So glad that Viet introduced me to the Alhambra Irish Pub; What a pleasure!
BURGERS AT SWEET MAPLE FOR BRUNCH AND BELLA SARATOGA FOR LUNCH
The burgers looked good at a couple of restaurants we had a chance to stop by. Anytime I hear the term Millionaire’s Bacon such as where I found at Sweet Maple, my attention and interest are piqued. Thick-cut bacon, spiced and sweetened; pretty damn good! Viet had the Loco Moco which was a close 2nd as far as I was concerned; wagyu beef cutlet, mushrooms, gravy, and a soft egg! Yum!
Burger with Soft Egg at Sweet Maple
IN CLOSING!
Did you enjoy my blog on my travels? Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below. Let me know some of your favorites for me to visit the next time I return to the Redwood City and San Francisco areas. And as always, thanks for Spending Time in My Kitchen!
