While we are still not ready for any “over-the-pond” adventures, we continue to find the treasures in our backyard.
A recent trip to Sonoma County and Jenner was inspired by our culinary sentiments. Who could pass up artisan cheese, good wine and seafood? But of course, a trip to the Sonoma Coast would not be complete without a spa day, wave watching and reading.
Our first break after visiting a friend in San Francisco was across the bay in the scenic town of Sausalito. We were drawn to a waterfront Bayside Café for a fresh, home-cooked brunch. This friendly stop boasted tasty and unique selections such as The Crunch, a breakfast nacho delight.
Sausalito holds a special place in both my and Jan’s hearts since we stopped here 53 years ago on the first part of our honeymoon. We were thrilled to be back strolling through hidden alleys and enjoying the magical charm and beauty of Sausalito, just as we remembered.
Jan and I took our time to enjoy the stunning views and sounds of the seals frolicking around in the bay before we left town to continue on our Zen journey up to Jenner.
On our way out of Sausalito, we decided to drive into Petaluma to explore their charming downtown area and purchase provisions at The Petaluma Market for our weekend getaway.
We leisurely made our way to the renowned Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone for a luxurious afternoon of spa treatments.
As we drove the serene and beautiful drive from Petaluma to Freestone, we enjoyed the beauty of the green rolling hills, adorned with vibrant flowering mustard and contented cows.
Our major dilemma on this Zen trip was that it was too early for us to eat lunch, yet we needed something to hold us over from our spa treatments until we reached our final destination of enjoying wine and appetizers in our vacation rental in Jenner.
So, we decided to take a road less traveled to Occidental for a little delicious indulgence of milkshakes! Life’s simple pleasures are fully enjoyed when we have the flexibility to freely explore.
Knowing that we would not want to prepare or go out for dinner after massages and enzyme soak, we decided to pick up premade gourmet chicken parmesan and Japanese cucumber salad from The Petaluma Market. This was a perfect dinner for us as we watched the sunset overlooking the Russian River and the serene Sonoma Coastline from our vacation home.
Salty ocean air makes food taste exceptional, or perhaps it enhances our appetites!
For our second night in Jenner we made a reservation at River’s End in Jenner for sunset.
This was our first time to eat at River’s End even though friends have strongly encouraged it for years. Why did we not listen to them the first time? Amazing food, impeccable service and a sunset that went on forever.
Oysters on the half shell, crab and lobster cake, seared ahi were topped off by an apple crostini for dessert. A must-try for anyone who has not yet experienced the River’s End.
Lastly, we made our way to Bodega Bay Fish Market which is always a mandatory stop for us when we’re in the area. This stop was for us to pick up some fresh salmon for Jan to grill when we got home – lucky me!
Jan’s grilled Salmon is for another blog. He’s seriously has mastered the grilled salmon.
This truly was a picturesque Zen weekend getaway filled with outstanding food. We are grateful that we’re surrounded by natural beauty and that we can easily escape for a quick weekend getaway.