Travel

Olive oil tasting in Sonoma

 in Travel  tagged lifestyle / sonoma / staycation by

Did you know you can go Olive Oil tasting right here in the Bay Area? Well, you can! Love that!

People tend to equate our wine country with, well, wine! Of course, it is a world-class wine country, so there is nothing wrong with assuming it is all about wine, I mean, it kinda is! haha

Well, thankfully there is a fun activity you can do if you don’t drink, or if you want your kids to enjoy everything the Sonoma area has to offer. You can go olive oil tasting! Love!

First off, I love olive oil. I was taught at a young age to cook with olive oil, not cooking oils. When I fry food, I use olive oil, not cooking oil. Olive oil is also used in salads, foods, and more. I tend to have a light oil for cooking, and heavier one for recipes, dipping, and more. Olive oil is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, plus it is yummy!

While there are several options for olive oil tasting in the Sonoma area, I chose to take my family to Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, home of the The Olive Press. This is one of my favorite local olive oils, so going olive oil tasting there seemed like the perfect option.

We booked our tasting ahead of time, which is the perfect way to enjoy olive oil tasting. Jacuzzi set up a special room for us where we had a private tasting and were able to ask questions and learn about both the winery and olive oil. It was so much fun!

We tasted five olive oils during our tasting. In addition, we were able to taste olive oils with vinegar from The Olive Press. It was really fun, and a great way to discover olive oil flavors I hadn’t considered before.

Our favorite olive oils were the Arbequina, Italian Blend, Blood Orange, and Basil. We really enjoyed the tasting and visiting the property.

You can day trip to Sonoma or stay locally. I recommend making an olive oil tasting online at TheOlivePress.com. They don’t serve food at the tasting, so you can always visit downtown Sonoma for a fabulous meal.

While this is a fun activity for the family, be sure your kids will actually taste olive oil from a shot glass. If your kids are too young, I would recommend waiting until they are older. For my high school and college aged kids, this was a great activity.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Going on safari at Safari West

 in Travel  tagged lifestyle / santa rosa / staycation by

pictured: one of the historical vehicles at Safari West which takes you around the property on safari /

Did you know you can go on a safari right here in the San Francisco Bay Area?! Well, you can! Safari West in Santa Rosa is home to many exotic animals you normally would not see here in California, or in an average zoo. At Safari West, there are several types of antelopes, wildebeests, zebras, and more; on land where they can roam. It is truly amazing.

We lucked out on the day visited Safari West because the rain had stopped! While it was cold, we were able to stay dry and access most of the property by vehicle. The specially modified vehicle shown above takes you throughout the property where a guide tells you about the animals. It is both educational and fun! Love that!

In addition to the three-hour tour of the property where you can see and learn about the animals, you can also dine on a BBQ after your tour, and/or stay in one of the several glamping tents on the property. We didn’t stay there, but it really looked fun! Oh, and yes, there are vegetarian options at the BBQ. My daughter loved the mac and cheese.

This is really a bucket list item. You can go with friends, as a family, or with whomever you choose. I saw several families with elementary-aged children, so it is something you can do with kids. My kids are high school and college aged, and they really enjoyed the day. I highly recommend going on a safari right here in the Bay Area!

You can easily book your adventure through Safari West online at SafariWest.com. Be sure to book your meal ahead of time too. We bought tickets for the 9am tour, and then the 12pm lunch. It worked out perfectly.

You can day trip to Safari West or stay locally in the Santa Rosa area. A fun day trip could include a morning safari with lunch, then heading over to the Snoopy rink for some ice skating! Of course, be sure to visit the Charles Shultz Museum too.

I hope you enjoy going on a safari as much as we did!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

*apologies for the low quality photos, I was zooming in with my cell phone.

Best Pasta in the South Bay

 in Travel  tagged lifestyle / restaurants / staycation by

pictured: Fettucine Bianco from Bella Saratoga, in Saratoga, Ca. This is one of my favorite pasta dishes in the South Bay /

One of my favorite meals is a yummy plate of pasta. I love all types of pasta dishes, and you will find me ordering pasta in restaurants, as well as cooking it myself at home. Therefore, it is only natural that I have a list of the best pasta restaurants in the South Bay!

I grew up eating pasta since my ancestors came here from Italy. Fun fact, I am one hundred percent of Italian decent! So, I would like to consider myself an expert on delicious pasta and how it should be cooked, as well as the best sauces.

So, if you live near San Jose, and you love pasta, let’s talk about the best pasta! Yum!!

My favorite pasta restaurants in the South Bay, listed in alphabetical order.

  • Aldo’s Ristorante & Bar
    • 14109 Winchester Blvd., Los Gatos, CA
    • Favorites: Tortellini alla Tommaso, Rigatoni Paesani, and Tagliatelle alla Aldo. Get the cannoli!
  • Bella Saratoga
    • 14503 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA
    • Favorites: Fettucine Bianco, Bolognese, and Chicken Mushroom Linguine.
  • Florentine Trattoria
    • 14510 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA
    • Favorites: Half & Half, Ravioli, and classic Bolognese. Also, get the lemoncello dessert!
  • Italian Brothers Restaurant
    • 330 No Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA
    • Favorites: Pappardelle Salsiccia e Funghi, Rigatoni Pesto, and Rigatoni Mafiosa
  • Sorelle Italian Bistro
    • 915 San Tomas Aquino Road, Campbell, CA
    • Favorites: Sorelle Short Rib Bolognese, Linguini with grilled jumbo shrimp, Traditional meat sauce, and get the cannoli!

Do you have any favorite pasta restaurants in the southern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area? If so, feel free to share in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by, and eat the pasta!

XOXO

Cathy

pictured below: Half and Half from Florentine Trattoria