The Oakland A's!

We have now been in California for two and a half weeks and just filled up one of our vehicles for the first time! Since gas prices are so high, we are definitely loving the fact that we are so close to where both Katy and myself are working and that there are good public transit systems close by. Whenever we go downtown we just walk, and half the time I end up just walking to my work at the Parks and Recreation office.


Katy and I had a busy week, but a very good week. I did interviews all week long for our summer staff, and had several late evenings. Katy, as it seems will be the norm here in California, worked extra hours most days and staid very busy! On Wednesday we grilled out for the first time since coming to Napa. We had Mahi Burgers with Pineapple salsa, some homemade potato salad, and a watermelon. It definitely put us in the summer mood! On Friday night we walked downtown and went to a wine bar and retail shop to participate in a tasting event. This wine bar does a different tasting event every Friday evening, and this past one was "White Wines off the Beaten Path." So, we enjoyed six samples of various white wines from around Europe and Australia that are not very well known. We also enjoyed an Appenzeller cheese plate with bread...which truth be told was probably my favorite part of the evening.

On Saturday we drove down to Berkeley and caught the train into Oakland to watch the A's play the Chicago White Sox. Even though we are not huge baseball fans, it is always fun to go to a new ball park and catch a game. Oakland won 6-2 and Katy and I spent the first 6 innings watching the game from a restaurant inside the colisieum chowing down on some messy hot dogs. Let me tell you what, the Bay Area is one very busy area....driving around Berkeley made me appreciate the small town I was raised in. We are loving California so far, but I am not crazy about all the traffic! After the ball game we returned to Napa and then that evening went to the movies and watched Bridesmaids, which was very funny, and no, not just a chick flick!

Today Katy worked since next weekend we will be taking a three day weekend to drive down Highway 1 to Los Angeles to visit our good friend, Philip Holbrook. I worked around the house all day and made a Rhubarb Cake. We are getting ready to call it a night and get ready for a busy week before our big trip next weekend!

View from our table at the Coliseum restaurant