Yesterday we went to the Tech Challenge at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose. My daughter Allison and her friend Travis coached a team from San Antonio Elementary school in San Jose. I believe they were the only team from Alum Rock School District. This is the third year that Allison has coached a team. These kids did a great job and learned a lot about filling sand bags, team work and the creative process. They didn’t have the parental support that a lot of the other teams had which makes their accomplishment all that much better. Congratulations to the DeFlooders!
Month: April 2006
Fitzpatrick’s
In my last posting I mentioned our weekend trip to the California gold country. For one of the nights of our long weekend we stayed at a winery, bed and breakfast that we have stayed at before and love. Not only is it in a beautiful setting with big comfortable rooms and a wonderful view but it is really fun to talk to the owners Brian and Diane about how they built the winery and the bed and breakfast. Fitzpatrick’s seems like proof that you can achieve what you dream about if you are willing to persevere and work hard. Fitzpatrick’s is a magical place. It is a big log lodge sitting on top of a hill in the middle of a vineyard. We love staying there.
Not long after we got back we got an email saying that Brian and Diana are selling Fitzpatrick’s. It is really fun to read about what they have built and now are selling and why.
The River’s Edge
How many places are truly unique? So many restaurants, stores, homes and towns feel like they are just copies of one another. It is rare to find a place and a restaurant, especially in the San Francisco bay area that is not just like all the others. I think maybe homogenization comes with population density.
A few weeks ago Duke and I took a long weekend and went up to the California gold country. On our way we stopped for lunch in Isleton, a small town on the Sacramento river delta. Isleton feels unique. The shops and restaurants all have character. The restaurant we stopped at for lunch is well worth going out of your way to eat at. This trip was the third time we have eaten at the River’s edge. Every meal we have had there has been special. The cafe is in an old renovated building. The hardwood floors look original and are accented by purple tile. The eggplant green and purple walls are decorated with geometric modern art. The result is a warm wonderful feeling before you even open the menu.
But the food………… ah my mouth is watering just thinking about it. All the sandwiches come with salads, mine had fresh, wonderful, room temperature greens with a tangy raspberry dressing. My sandwich was chicken meatloaf and Duke’s was the roast lamb. Both were on homemade facacia bread with homemade mayonnaise that brought out the flavor of the meat.
The breakfast menu had my mouth watering too. So last weekend we drove out to the River’s Edge for breakfast and then took tours of the Jelly Belly factory and the Budweiser factory which are in nearby Fairfield. With all the rain we have had and the concern about the integrity of California’s levees it was interesting to drive on top of one of the levee’s along the river. Isleton feels like it is way below the level of the river. Our breakfast at the River’s Edge didn’t disappoint me.
The River’s Edge is worth making a special trip to visit. Next time you are driving down highway 80 from the Bay Area to Sacramento take a detour to Isleton and the River’s Edge. You won’t regret it.
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