Journeys With Sandra Marie: Day 2 of Vacation in California

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Day 2 of Vacation in California

I am in sunny California on vacation, I am visiting some of my husbands family in Redwood City and Fresno. Today we are driving along the coast on route one in a rented convertible, I love it, I must get one. The coastal ride is so beautiful we are stopping every 3 minutes to take pictures and literally taking hours when it should be a two hour drive total but you can't help yourself you just have to stop and take a picture. We are on our way to Hearst Castle to do a tour, I have had a foot procedure recently so I booked the accessible tour just in case I am unable to walk much. What a way to go instead of 20-30 people on our tour we have 4, and being in the accessible group we get to go first and do not have to wait in any lines. The castle is amazing it is hard to believe it was designed so long ago, man that guy had taste.

On our way to our hotel for the evening we stopped at Rocky Creek Cellars for a wine tasting the owner is a 21 year old male who is taking over the family business from his father. He is friendly and knowledgeable about the wines and flavors that each bottle consist of . I walked out purchasing a few bottles and a happy buzz.

The owner recommended that we go to dinner at AJ'S Spur a local Saloon style restaurant in Templeton. What a great place full of interesting decorations. Every entree is started with a minestrone soup that you add tequila beans and a homemade salsa to. Absolutely great, full of flavor and vegetables I could have easily ate just that and been happy. Of course I did not stop there... I ordered a bacon wrapped filet minon from the BBQ Pit menu with a side of BBQ ribs because I could not make up mind so I got both. The steak melted in your mouth with a smokey BBQ flavor. Yumalicous!!! The entree also came with a salad and potatoes followed by either a root-beer float or after dinner beverage. I could not decide so I told the waitress to surprise me she came back with a black and tan, I have no idea what it was but it was good.
I give AJ'S Spur 5 forks!

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How I started cooking

When I was 34 I was in a really bad car accident which led to a stroke 3 weeks later. I basically had to learn to do almost everything all over again. Being a single mother at the time, I didn't have the choice to sit back and feel sorry for my-self. I needed to get better as quickly as possible. I was not able to do much at first so that was when I started watching cooking shows (Paula Deen & Rachael ray) and learned how to cook. Which led to a great hobby for me. I love to cook, I am currently writing a cook book. As well as a book about my past struggles that led to making me a stronger and better person.

What is to come

I really enjoy cooking, especially Italian food. I should be Italian. However I also tend to cook a lot of comfort foods too. I will be writing about new recipes I try, good or bad. Rating new and old restaurants I eat at. Places I travel too.

In short I love food... the smell as it cooks as the aromas start to come out, the way it looks when all the finishing touches come together and of course, I love to eat it! I love to watch people as they taste my food. Especially when they smile as if it is feeding their soul.

My second passion is traveling, I just can't do it enough. I will write about those adventures also.