On our way back from Waimea Canyon, we stopped at the Kauai coffee company.  It overlooks the coffee plantation. There are dozens of free samples (including some decaf), and a small museum showing the process.  There is also a coffee counter selling regular sized coffees.  We bought a delicious peaberry coffee and some chocolate covered ... (read more →)

A friend recommended that we check out Roy’s during our stay in Hawaii.  So, while in Kauai we made sure to get a reservation.  We wound up eating there twice – it was far and away our favorite restaurant we ate at during our 2 weeks in Hawaii.  The first time we went we started ... (read more →)

This restaurant, about a 10 minute walk from the main hotel complex (with its own parking) overlooks the golf course and the mountains.  It is a big open room, nicely decorated, but not as spectacular as Tidepools. The cuisine is Asian fusion. We had some very tasty appetizers.  For our entrees, Ian had a whole ... (read more →)

Tonight we had dinner at Mirepoix restaurant, in Windsor, California.  The restaurant is in a converted small house and has a warm cozy feel to it.  It is a good idea to make reservations as there really aren’t very many tables.  The menu changes frequently and is supposed to have a French feel to it.
We ... (read more →)

We went for dinner at the Grand Hyatt.  The Tidepools restaurant is very beautifully set among koi ponds and waterfalls. The restaurant is divided into many sections surrounded by the pond, giving it an intimate feeling.  Many of the tables are right next to French doors that open out on to the ponds.  The koi ... (read more →)

In the morning, we headed out to the star attraction of Xi’an, the Terracotta Warriors. A bus leaves from right outside the hotel and took us directly there, comfortably. First up we visited the museum, which is a large modern building, with nice air-conditioning and is well organized. The museum’s collection consists of some better-preserved ... (read more →)

One of our favorite restaurants in Sonoma County is Thai Cuisine, in Petaluma.  The restaurant is in a converted Victorian house.  There is a separate room on one side for larger parties.
Lunch runs around $10/person with (vegetarian) soup included.  The curries are very nice and they will prepare them spicy or mild depending on your ... (read more →)

Tonight we went out for dinner at the Duck Club Restaurant – part of the Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa. The restaurant has an ocean view with 3 big bay windows with tables for 4 in each. The atmosphere is romantic with a big fireplace.
To start, Ian had some delicious fresh oysters from ... (read more →)

We ate dinner at Roy’s, a 10 minute walk from Union Square. We had previously enjoyed a couple of great meals at Roy’s in Poipu, Kauai, so we wanted to check out the local version. The restaurant was full, but we had made a reservation a couple of days beforehand on their website (this ... (read more →)

We pricelined the Grand Hyatt close to Union Square in San Francisco for $90. Including the taxes and other fees, it came to $110. The Hyatt offers valet parking for $49, but we opted for the $30 parking underneath Union Square, ½ a block away.
The Hyatt has a very nice lobby, and the ... (read more →)