Wine Country near San Francisco

The city of San Francisco, nestled on the hills overlooking San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, is near some of the finest wineries the West Coast – and the world – has to offer. The city lies within easy driving distance of both the Sonoma and Napa Valleys, and offers wine lovers the opportunity to discover delightful vintages they might not find outside San Francisco. Luxury hotel accommodations in the heart of the city provide a sensual respite where you can relax and recharge at the end of the day. The City by the Bay is a truly the perfect vacation spot for wine aficionados.

Wine Country Tours

Sonoma Valley is the largest and oldest of the area’s wine-producing counties. In 1823, Father Jose Altimira planted mission grapes in his church’s vineyard, and there began the world-class winemaking that continues today. A tour of the area yields a feast for the senses, with stunning views of miles of vineyards, a sampling of the most popular wine varieties, and a spectacular climate that rivals that of the south of France.

Perhaps better known, if smaller, is Napa Valley. This 40-mile stretch of paradise follows the meandering Napa River from the town of Napa to the San Pablo Bay. The river wanders among the rolling hills and mountains of one of the most breathtaking landscapes found anywhere in the world. This fertile river valley is home to some of the finest wine grapes ever grown, with 45,000 acres devoted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

For a different view of the wine country, you might choose to tour the valley via boat. Two-hour tours aboard luxurious, environmentally friendly electric boats are a delightful way to spend the afternoon. Limousine-style, wrap-around seating ensures spectacular views of the countryside from every seat. In addition to sightseeing, you’ll be entertained with tales of the area’s history while drifting leisurely through Napa and past the hills for which this area is famous.

Food and Wine Go Hand in Hand

If you prefer food with your wine, you can book a 48-hour City and Wine Country Tour. You’ll get to sample all the tasty delights this city has to offer as well as enjoy a guided tour of nearby Sonoma Valley.

You’ll spend the morning casually wandering among the neighborhoods of San Francisco, nibbling on gourmet chocolate in Ghirardelli Square or feasting on authentic Asian cuisine in Chinatown. After lunch, a climate-controlled coach will whisk you off for a wine tour and tasting you won’t soon forget. This relaxed, do-it-yourself tour affords you the opportunity to see the sights you wish, while skipping those you don’t.

Lodging in San Francisco is as delightful as the wine. Luxurious hotels catering to discerning travelers feature all the amenities you desire and make your vacation a memory you’ll treasure. Choose a Moscone Center hotel and you’ll be right in the middle of all this fantastic city offers, from wine bars to restaurants to theater and shopping.

Author Bio:

Barbara Wade writes for the Hotel Monaco, a San Francisco luxury hotel offering exquisite retreats in the heart of the city. Visit them online at www.monaco-sf.com.

Five healthy food substitutions you should try today

When it comes to the battle of eating healthy, each of us has our own guilty little pleasures that can sabotage even our best efforts to eat right. For some it’s chocolate, others it’s butter, and still others just can’t say no to that freshly baked loaf of bread that your favorite restaurant serves up before dinner. Whatever your weakness is, there is likely a healthy substitution that can help you satisfy your craving while not sacrificing your health.

As any health expert will attest to, eating healthy is a life style and not a feat to be taken lightly. But if you’re serious about making changes, beginning with these five healthy food substitutions is a sure-fire way to get started.

Replace ground beef with healthier substitutes in recipes- If you’re a meat lover then chances are you’re serious about your beef products and just can’t find it plausible that there is another meat that can come anywhere near to comparing to beef, but you’d be wrong. Read the rest of this entry  

Eating low on the food chain can improve your health and the environment too

Never before has the message and necessity of adopting a healthy lifestyle been more urgent. In recent years, it’s been increasingly difficult to turn on the television and not see messages from the FDA and USDA urging consumers to return certain fruits, vegetables, and other products to stores because they have been contaminated either in their natural environments or in the process of being brought to sellers. With the rampant use of pesticides, hormones, and other chemicals, consumers face some really difficult decisions in deciding what foods they should purchase and consume.

Here are some tried and true tips for incorporating healthier food chain consumption.

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Tips for Decoding Egg Carton Labels

New York Times writer, Catherine Price, recently wrote an interesting article about one of the most common kitchen staples: the egg. As she says, in the past, “an egg was an egg.” Your only choice was size.

But now, consumers can choose from what some foodies call “designer eggs.” Some producers claim to treat their hens more humanely than other producers. Other cartons boast of extra health benefits from their eggs, such are more Omega-3 fatty acids.

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of regulation of some of these terms; animal welfare groups warn consumers to pay careful attention when they buy.

Here’s a brief explanation of the controversy, a glossary of terms, and some tips for wading through the competing claims.

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Latin influenced menus are enjoying great success in the culinary world today – and can be traced back to the homeland. South American-born chefs who perhaps started in an entry-level position in a restaurant now find themselves on the front lines, creating dishes and menus to tempt palates from all walks of life. They have brought with them a fusion of culture and a passion for preparing authentic cuisine.

There are several dishes and ingredients which are considered mainstays in the heart of the Latin chef. Such recipes often rely on tried and true common foods while at the same time lending colorful inspiration and a flair for the unusual.

Want to learn about some of the unusual ingredients that make Latin cuisine special? Read on.

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Restaurants across the United States are being encouraged to join the Green bandwagon and become environmentally friendly. The National Restaurant Association voted in January 2007 to promote earth friendly practices in its 900,000 plus member organization.

Recently 300 restaurants pledged to be come certifiably green under the Green Restaurant Association. This non-profit organization has the mission to create an ecologically sustainable restaurant industry. Restaurants can take steps to be “certified green restaurants.” National Public Radio covered the green restaurant movement in March 2007.

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Cutting Edge Food Trends

Are you a student of the culinary arts, eager to learn where the food industry and your career could potentially be headed? Perhaps you’re a chef or restaurant owner, hungry for whatever the area’s competing restaurants might be serving up next. Get ready to go green… sources say that sustainable food service and organic ingredients could potentially become menu mainstays for the country’s finest food establishments in the not so distant future.

Culinary Trends

Here are the cutting edge food trends for the next few years:

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Warm summer days are just around the corner, and you can almost smell the delicious aromas of grilling burgers, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lemony iced tea. Knowing what’s new on the culinary scene can help you plan a terrific meal at home or prepare a gourmet feast sure to satisfy a hungry crowd at your restaurant, resort or spa. Here are some ideas to get your taste buds tuned. Read the rest of this entry  

Combines Love of Food with Love of Travel

Are you passionate about experiencing other cultures through regional food and drink? Picture yourself sipping Cava in Barcelona, organizing a Tuscan cooking class using local olive oils, or speaking to a local goat farmer while nibbling on fresh chevre in Normandy. Closer to home, you might don wooly mittens for a sugar-on-snow party during maple sugaring season in Vermont, or learn the two-step at an old fashioned Texas barbeque. Welcome to one of the hottest trends in the food and travel industries: culinary tourism. Read the rest of this entry  

Culinary Tourism Combines Travel and Eating

As winter cold begins to fade, many start to think about planning getaways from the mundane daily activities of our lives. Combining travel with an interest or the desire to learn a new skill has become a popular theme for trips.

One interest that blends well with travel is the concept of food tourism – where travelers experience local or regional culinary styles. Many travelers don’t want the culinary experience to end at the restaurant, they want to learn to make the meals and so they can re-create the experience at home. Enter the new rage – culinary tourism.

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