so, you have a place to sleep, now you want to eat?

Hungry? I use the same qualifiers when looking for food as I do when looking for a hotel - good signs! I love the old signs with a hint of neon!! Check out these from San Fran!

well, they might have food too! the sign was too cool to not include!

I could imagine this place hoppin' in the 40s and 50s!! 63 cocktails - how can this place not be fun? and they serve food too?

down at the wharf - looks yummy, not quite as cool as the older signs, but I like the crab!

a really bad picture taken out the car window as we drove by, but the fish was way too cool to not try to get a shot of! I considered asking hubby to drive by a second time, but traffic was just awful, so I thought better of the idea!

This one was waaaay cool! I thought my friend Lori would like it too since she spells her name the same way - she probably doesn't care, but I still liked it a lot!!

so, not the fanciest, not the oldest, not the kitchiest, but by far the most important if you are anywhere near the bay area!!! We stopped for ice cream and did a lap through the store too of course! The girls had no idea what I was so excited about until they got their first taste - then everything became clear to them!! Real women appreciate Ghirardelli!!!! I love you Ghirardelli!

Tomorrow... we spend some time behind bars......

Day Seven, Napa Valley California - part two

So anyway, we walk down the kill to the entrance of the cave and this is the hallway that leads us to "the cave" pretty cool huh? Too bad my hallway at home doesn't look like that!

The "cave" was a big room with one great big table, reminiscent of Camelot days, where everyone was able to sit together for the meal. Baby sister and Hubby to be mixed everyone up so that no one was sitting by the person they came with - a chance to get to get to know or get to know better other people who were there that night. I have to admit, it put me out of my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed myself!

I tried to snap a few good pictures before everyone started messing up the table ;) It really was beautiful!

Then I did some low light shots - I actually like the yellow hue it puts out - notice the lighting up at the top...

the table was just beautiful....

OK, this is the real draw for the cave... the chandelier is the roots of a very old grape vine that used to be part of the vineyard and has been "repurposed" into this AMAZING chandelier! Really I have yet to see a picture, even on Hall Rutherford's own website, that can due this chandelier justice. It is one of those moments that can not be captured, that must be stored merely in the recesses of your mind - a very special treasure!

Anyway, the meal was wonderful too and since I was the photographer for the evening I figured that I'd better capture it all!

the main course was really tasty...

I can never say no to dessert, well, almost never ;)

ad it wouldn't be a dinner in Napa without some wine!

The evening had just begun, but I had to set the stage for you.......