A great reason to eat out

It is Sonoma County Restaurant Week here in Wine Country.  And while it doesn’t take much of an excuse for Sherry and I to head out to one of our favorite eateries, this seemed like the perfect reason to eat out multiple times this week.  So that’s exactly what we did.

Sonoma County Restaurant Week is a new, and very cool, concept that was extremely well organized and promoted.  We’ve known about it for weeks.  So what is it exactly.  I think I’ll let the organizers tell you in their own words.

“The first-ever Sonoma County Restaurant Week will be a seven day celebration of our county's farm fresh food and premier wine! Enjoy three-course dinner menus at $19, $29, or $39, depending on the restaurant. Don't miss out on Sonoma County's most delicious week of the year!”

Wow!  Three-course dinners at some of our favorite restaurants at those prices.  I’m surprised we didn’t try eating out all seven nights.  However, after reviewing the list, our work schedules, and our finances, we settle on two restaurants.  Since we had already eaten at many of the choices available, we picked two places that we really like but don’t get to very often – Mosaic Restaurant & Wine Lounge and Bistro des Copains. 

We started with Mosaic in Forestville on Wednesday night.  We were joined by our good friends Pat and Julie.  Actually, all four of us had eaten there together once before.  Pat and Julie arrived first and already had the wine poured when we arrived.  I sure could get used to that.  After some quick conversation, it was time to start eating (of course, we never really quit talking and laughing).

I won’t go over the entire menu, which you can see by clicking on the restaurant week logo, so I’ll jump forward to the main course.  The girls had the coffee encrusted filet mignon (Mosaic’s fabulous signature dish) while Pat and I tried the Dungeness crab risotto.  They were awesome and my dish was by far one of the best risotto’s I have ever eaten.

Friday night was a more romantic affair with just Sherry and I.  This time it was off to Bistro des Copains in Occidental.  This is a classic french-style bistro.  Sherry started with a salad while I tried the butternut soup with sage.  Then it was onto the classic steak frites for Sherry and Sole Grenobloise for me.  Then to finish the whole thing off, we both had apple tart tartins for dessert.  Just like before, the food was outstanding.

I hope they consider doing Sonoma County Restaurant Week again next year.  It was a great way to get people out.  It was also the perfect reason for Sherry and I to eat wonderful food, drink wine, hang with friends, and share a little time with each other.  And in the end, isn’t that what life’s all about?

Au revoir!

Hangin’ with the nephews

Last Saturday, Sherry and I got the chance to spend some time with two of our nephews, Jordan and Jared.  They are 15 and 13 respectively and they are great kids.  They are polite, well-behaved, and courteous.  But above all, they are still kids.

The day itself was nothing spectacular.  We took them, and their cousin Kyle, to see Avatar (in 3D of course).  Jordan and Jared had already seen it but it was the first time for Sherry, Kyle and I.  Afterwards, we strolled through downtown Santa Rosa and ate dinner at La Bufa, which is a local Mexican restaurant.

What made the day special was not the activities but simply hanging out with the boys.  It was more then just time with family, which is very important.  It was just Fun, with a capital F, and we had a great time talking about sports, school, girls, or whatever.

I know there are folks out there who start to feel old when around kids.  For me, it is the exact opposite.  Kids make me feel young.  I love their perspective on life.  It’s funny to hear about the pressing issues they face or the things that are most important to them.

If you are feeling overwhelmed from work, or simply life, go hang out with some teenagers for a while.  I can almost guarantee it will change your perspective.

Au revoir!

The Valentine’s Day Lunch

Sherry and I love long lunches on Sundays.  I mean 2-hours and one bottle of wine long.  And if that Sunday lunch is also on Valentine’s Day, well that makes it all the better.

Selecting a fine restaurant in Wine Country is definitely not a problem however this year we decided to go to The City (that’s our reference to San Francisco).  There are a few French restaurants in The City that we have not tried yet.  So on to the Internet and guess what we discover?  The French don’t cook lunch on weekends in The City.  What’s up with that?

Next stop, Napa Valley.  We quickly settled on Bistro Don Giovanni.  After all, if you can’t try something new then stick with the best.  This is one of our favorites.  We settled on 2:00 reservations and were good to go.

After relaxing in the morning, exchanging cards, and eating french toast, we headed to lunch.  When we arrived we discovered the weather was nice enough to dine outside but unfortunately there were no tables.  So we settled for a lovely table in the corner with two windows and it was delightful.

The food was scrumptious.  We started with Fritto Misto, which is the best we have ever eaten.  Sherry then had the risotto with seared scallops and I had classic veal parmesan.   Add to that great wine and fabulous desserts and you have the perfect lunch.  A mere 2 hours later we were driving back through the vineyards of Wine Country, which are in full bloom with mustard. 

It was another great Valentine’s Day.  Sherry and I hope that all of you did something special with the one you love.

Au revoir!

Chateaubriand for 2

Don’t you just love impromptu dinners?  You know, those nights that start with a feeling of not wanting to cook and end with a fantastic meal at a local restaurant.  Well, on Wednesday, Sherry and I had one of those nights.

I was still at work when I got “the call”.  This is the call where Sherry is still at work and will miss her normal Jazzercise class.  So I decide to skip my workout as well and dinner out is on.

The next question is – where?  Sherry decides she is in a French mood.  After a quick phone call to La Gare, we are all set with 7:15 reservations.  After a quick trip to our cellar to pick up a bottle of 2001 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Bordeaux we are off.

La Gare is a Santa Rosa icon and has been serving fabulous french meals for over 30 years.  It is one of our favorites although surprisingly we don’t go there that often.  As I look at the menu I decide on beef although I want one of everything.  Sherry also decides to have beef and the dinner takes a marvelous turn.

For the first time, we ordered the Chateaubriand for two.  This is basically 20 ounces of some of the finest tasting beef you have ever eaten.  It comes on a wooden platter where it is displayed, and then carved, a table (french for at the table).  It was absolutely delicious and quickly ranked as one of our more memorable meals at La Gare.

Since we ordered the Chateaubriand for two, it only seemed right to order the cherries jubilee for two as our dessert.  These were also flambéed at the table where our waiter put on quite a show.  With the food and wine gone, it was time to head home to enjoy the rest of our evening and dream about the next time I receive “the call”.

Au revoir!

Time to refresh

I have a confession to make.  So does Sherry.  I am not updating this blog nearly as much as I would like.  Neither is Sherry.  I took the last couple of weeks off to try and determine why.  Fortunately, I have the answer and it’s related to my cycling blog.

My cycling blog is based on a fairly rigid format.  It is almost always between 650 –750 words in length.  I try to frequently add an element of humor.  And above all, it has to be more than a simplistic diary of my rides.  When I started C’est la belle vie, I was following the same model and it’s not working.

So it’s time for a change.  The new description says it all.  Instead of long stories about adventure, this will be a blog about the day-to-day things that make our life wonderful.  Don’t get me wrong.  There will still be the occasional longer story but mostly, these posts will be short and sweet so you can read them quickly and continue on with your own wonderful life.

We hope you enjoy changes and thanks for joining us on the journey.

Au revoir!