Healdsburg delights:Barn Diva, Catelli's, Russian River Brewing

No matter how many times I visit Healdsburg there's one thing that always stands out:  great food, and lots of it.

First stop, Barn Diva for a fantastic lunch of salad, fries and quiche.  Of course the salad wasn't just any salad, it was chock full of avocado, blue cheese, beets, shaved carrots and crunchy croutons married with a creamy tarragon dressing.  Add a side of fries - which are really more of a cross between a chip and a fry - to go with the rich quiche and you are ready to hit the winery trail.

The quiche at Barn Diva in Healdsburg

Our one and only winery visit this trip was Schlumberger (an old favorite) where reservations are recommended and a seat beside the lovely, relaxing fountain in the courtyard a must.  We took this opportunity to listen to the hypnotic symphony of water trickling and wine glasses clinking in the warm, embracing late-season sun.

After a check-in at the hotel and a power nap we headed out to the Russian River Brewing Co in Santa Rosa.  I'll admit, beer isn't my first love but the sampler seemed necesssary. We tried all the samples with mixed reviews:  I liked the sour versions (Supplication, Temptation and Consecration) and my companion liked the Redemption or the blondes (what a surprise.)

Beer sampler at Russian River Brewing

All that wine and beer tasting created quite the appetite so we headed to Catelli's in Geyserville.  Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (or Triple D) you SHOULD  believe the hype: amazing 12-layer lasagna , homemade ravioli (in two sauces) are just a few of the dishes to die for.  Oh, and the bread which feels like a course on it's own.  Hint:  if you order the lasagna it arrives with two large pieces of very garlicky, buttery bread.

Why choose when you can have both red sauce and butter? At Catelli's (the BEST)

Once the plates arrived I asked my dinner companion if he wanted a taste of my ravioli (which of course he did.)  Asked the same question about his lasagne I hesitated oh-so-briefly to which I was told "take some now before it's gone".  Although a nano-second to me, the lasagne quickly disappeared and I made a mental note to visit Healdsburg - and Catelli's again soon.  

Palm Springs Eternally Vintage

Want the ultimate in getaways?  Then consider Palm Springs where it's like a trip times two: you can immerse yourself in a host of activities AND travel back in time to the 60's.  A short stay will reset your attitude and you too will depart feeling like an official member of the rat pack.

The decor at the Orbit In hotel (vintage boutique hotel)

For the outdoor enthusiasts Joshua Tree offers breathtaking scenery and great photo opportunities.

Joshua Tree at Sunset

Palm trees in downtown Palm Springs

Check out the Cabazon dinos while on your way to the outlets where they have the best of the luxury brands.

Dinos in the desert!

Where we stayed

Orbit In

562 W Arenas

Palm Springs CA  92262

877.996.7248

Where we dined

Lulu

California Bistro

200 S. Palm Canyon at Arenas

760.327.9898

Santana's

Burritos (yum)

61761 29 Palms Hwy

 Joshua Tree, CA 92252

(760) 366-8263

Seriously killer burritos and homemade salsas. A great place to stop for lunch on your way

to Joshua Tree.

Cabazon Outlets

48750 Seminole Drive #100      

Cabazon, CA 92230      

(951) 922-3000

An Edible Education Through the Edible Garden in Berkeley CA

Welcome to the Edible Garden in Berkeley CA

What results from merging incredible vision, a passion for culinary exploration, and an empty asphalt lot next to Martin Luther King Jr Middle School in Berkeley, CA? The Edible Schoolyard (ESY), an organic edible garden and kitchen classroom that incorporates food concepts into the school curriculum for practical training and learning throughout the year. 

A hen strutting her stuff

A tour provided our team with an up-close look at the people and operations, along with a deep respect for the individual who initiated it all. That individual is Alice Waters, the esteemed pioneer of the original sustainable, local food movement and owner of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA.

At a basic level, it might seem like "it's just gardening or cooking" (for anyone who's ever taken a Home Economics class – this is not the case!). The truly fascinating aspect here is that students are not merely learning WHAT to eat; they are learning how to create – and cultivate – the things they will consume. The row of corn in the garden will likely end up on a student's plate, having been prepared by fellow students. Additionally, students receive comprehensive training in knife skills and kitchen tools to master the fundamentals (e.g., "how not to cut yourself with an extremely sharp knife").

Beautiful and delicious!

Ultimately, it's truly ingenious. Rather than instructing kids with "do this, don't eat that," the Edible Schoolyard team encourages them to "eat more greens, here's how to include them in your meals – and enjoy them too!" It's certainly a carrot (an organic one, at that) rather than a stick approach.

Garden fresh veggies ready for lunch

I’m not sure if this is exactly what Alice Waters intended but it surely struck a chord with me. The program participants will leave middle school with extensive food knowledge and beyond-basic cooking skills they will carry - and share - throughout life.  As corny as it sounds, the seeds have been planted and it will be interesting to see the proliferation of this knowledge. 

Hands-on organizational training

Perhaps in 5-10 years an edible schoolyard program in each city across the US will become the norm rather than the exception.  I think the folks at Chez Panisse are on to something here?!

California poppies on a warm sunny day