Sorry I totally fell off the blogger-wagon this weekend... I was rotating between running around Napa and being too stuffed to get off the couch... so, blogging was a no-go.
You know what this means?
TONS OF CATCH UP!
Instead of writing some enormous all-encompassing post filled with a million pictures of drool-worthy food (cause I know you'd all HATE that....) I'm going to pretend I'm still in heaven -- Napa -- and write a little bit each day.
So... where did we leave off??
Friday night!
If you can even believe it, we managed to un-stuff ourselves (only slightly) from our amazing lunch at Bistro Jeanty so head out for our 6:30 dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant, Celadon
First, we enjoyed taking a million photos of our cute B&B -- The Churchill Manor.
The restaurant was just a quick walk into "town" - right off of Main St.
I loved that Downtown Napa actually had a small town feel... it was picturesque and quaint.
Mom and I scored another perfect "couples" table in the corner and started our usual debates on what to order... although I don't think we could have gone wrong with any dish!
We started off with some great bread with world-class olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and herbs.
Then, after some soul searching, we decided to stick to our plan: order a bazillion appetizers and are too good to pass up and then skip straight to dessert! This was our Plan of Action during the entire trip and it never failed us.
First round?
Steamed mussels in a white white sauce with stewed tomatoes and pancetta. Served with grilled bread for dipping. WOW!! The mussels were huge and juicy! Probably some of the best I've had (once again, this trip was filled with "bests")... Mom, the mussel connoisseur, wasn't disappointed.
Our next appetizer was their famous calamari -- which all the reviews raved about. Flash fried calamari with pickled ginger and a spicy chipotle and honey glaze. Super unique twist on a classic! It was like an Asian-fusion flavor that really took this dish to the next level..
For our greens, we decided to go with the Coconut Prawn salad on a bed of mixed greens with asian sesame dressing and mango slices. THE SHRIMP WERE AMAZING! I think the seafood here was top-notch... Every dish we ordered exceeded my expectations.
Finally, we had to satisfy by crab cake craving.... Crab cake on top of a salad frisee. My mom was stuffed by this point, but I devoured every last bit. Crab cakes are one of my favorite dishes! Whatever was in the creamy dressing.... yum.
Our waiter made sure we ordered the right dessert...
They had bread pudding AND creme brulee on the menu, but how can you measure up to Bistro Jeanty's?
So, we decided to ask our server for a suggestion: without hesitation -- Ooey Gooey Chocolate Lava Cake for Two. With Creme Fraiche gelato and fresh berries.
Yeah?
You think we made the right choice? As soon as you cut into the cake, warm chocolate spilled out. And the best combination ever was when you got a warm bite of chocolate cake, a fresh berry, and some creme fraiche gelato to top it off. Holy moly. That's all I have to say.
After we were stuffed beyond belief, we walked around Main St. and enjoyed the feel of the holidays -- complete with a Christmas tree, cute boutiques, and an ice skating rink.
Mom tried to stay warm by a heater... failed.
I also took advantage of some black Friday deals at a small clothing store and scored a buy-one-get-one-half-off deal on some new jeans! PERFECT.
We climbed into bed and sipped tea and read our books (for the first time I got to read for fun instead of for lectures.. talk abut heavenly) until we fell asleep. I think we both slept for 9 hours -- also a first-time since this semester started. I woke up, anxious to run!
After a few wrong turns, I finally found a gorgeous path that reminded me that I was in Napa! Vineyards, rolling hills, horses, farm houses.... It was a gorgeous 10.2 miles let me tell you!
I ended my run in "our neighborhood" and walked right through the old wooden doors to our gorgeous bed and breakfast! I showered and we went down for breakfast. I was expecting something similar to standard hotel-fare... but boy, was I wrong.
We opted to eat on the patio, and we started our meal with a fresh fruit cup filled with diced pineapple, guava, kiwi, strawberries, grapes, a dollop of berried yogurt and fresh granola. Wow.
Then Mom and I decided to split the two breakfast options:
a Veggie omelette with cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, and veggies with a side of spicy sausage and red pepper sauce. The melty cheese was definitely a highlight for me.
But the french toast with orange zest and fresh maple syrup kind of stole the show...
Can you really blame me?
Although we split both dishes, we left some of our french toast behind -- had to save room for our lunch & dinner plans! On our agenda for the day: hiking through the California redwoods! and then maybe some boutique shopping & wine tastings :)
I'll fill you in on our gorgeous hike later!
Hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend :)
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