Drinks on Me!

One of the many things I love about living in San Francisco is its short distance to wine country. In the summer, I like to don my summeriest of dresses and go wine tasting with my husband.

(I actually like to go wine tasting all year ’round, but, alas, I can’t always do it in my summeriest of dresses.)

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

I have to admit that I’ve worn this particular dress (which the writers at ModCloth aptly named the “Drinks on Me Dress”) a few times in wine country. With its classic cut and kitschy wine & cocktail glass print, it just begs to be worn wine tasting!

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

For this trip, we went to Healdsburg. We stopped first at Dry Creek Vineyard and Passalacqua Winery (where these photos were taken – they’re across the street from each other), then headed to Rodney Strong. Rodney Strong, in particular, is worth the visit for its reds, but I also enjoyed the whites at Dry Creek and the sangiovese at Passalacqua. And as you can see below, Dry Creek had a lovely garden that I rather fancied!

Amidst the flowers at Dry Creek Vineyard. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Enjoying the sun. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Where do you go for summer weekend getaways?

Dress: Drinks on Me Dress, Bettie Page via ModCloth
Belt: Calderon, thrifted
Bracelet: from a street vendor
Shoes: Hot for Hemlock Heel in Crimson, Chelsea Crew via ModCloth
Purse: Cole Haan Valise Archer leather satchel via Rue La La

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman]

A Birthday in Style! With Florals and Wine

Did you know that June is the best month ever? Lovely weather, tons of flowers in bloom, summer fruits and vegetables are making their way to market . . .

. . . AND it just so happens to be my birthday month!

For my birthday this past Sunday, Pat took me wine tasting in Napa Valley (before we headed out to dinner in the evening). It was a warm, sunny, absolutely gorgeous day, and I was in the mood for bright florals.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

I was also excited to wear my new art deco era bracelet. It was a birthday gift from Pat that he had given me a couple of days early because he was so excited about it. And with good reason – I adore it!

Art deco era silver bracelet featuring summer flowers, corn, and wheat.

The dress is one I got a couple of years ago from ModCloth. It’s always struck me something that should be worn to a birthday party, if not a wedding! I paired it with a lightweight cardigan from Banana Republic (also from a couple of years ago), dark green Miz Mooz t-straps, and a camel-colored Anne Klein handbag.

All dolled up in bright florals for my birthday. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

As far as the wine tasting went, we actually ended up spending almost 3 hours at Hall, one of our favorite wineries (and where these photos were taken). The wine was excellent and we were able to sit outside and savor each tasting. I definitely enjoyed that slow, easy pace more than rushing around from winery to winery.

It was a very happy day!

All dolled up in bright florals for my birthday. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Dress: Save the Date Dress via ModCloth
Purse: Anne Klein
Bracelet: vintage art deco silver bracelet (birthday gift from my husband!)
Cardigan: Banana Republic
Shoes: Green Tea-Strap Heel, Miz Mooz via ModCloth

[Bracelet photo by me. Other photos by Pat Zimmerman (as noted).]

Hoover’s Beef Palace: The Best Darn Breakfast in California

Earlier I blogged about my trip south to San Luis Obispo for wine tasting with Threadless peeps. My husband, Pat, and I had driven down for a brief weekend trip — on Sunday we drove back up to San Francisco. And since it was a Sunday, we decided we should get brunch on the way back home. We ended up at a place just off 101, in Templeton, called Hoover’s Beef Palace.

Presenting Hoover’s Beef Palace! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Now, the place is called a “Beef Palace” – but it only serves breakfast and lunch. So you better believe breakfast there is hardcore. And AMAZING.

Pat ordered the green chile omelet, and added sausage to it. What he hadn’t realized was that the green chile already had shredded pork in it — and it was awesome. Savory, hearty, and absolutely delicious (I know, because I stole a bite or two)! The home fries that came with it were perfectly cooked — tender with crispy edges.

Hoover’s Green Chile Omelet

I ordered the corned beef hash with eggs over medium and a biscuit with gravy. Everything was scrumptious – the corned beef hash was tender and flavorful, the eggs were beautifully cooked with runny yolks but fried whites, and the gravy was rich and meaty. I love biscuits and gravy, but too often it tastes just like a whole bunch of flour with a little broth & some sausage thrown it. This one was creamy and tasted like it had been made with meat drippings. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Hoover’s corned beef hash and biscuit with gravy

The food alone is worth the detour to Hoover’s if you’re in the area. But I enjoyed the atmosphere — not just for the cattle brands on the wall, but also for what I can only describe as a ranch-does-diner feel. And I also loved the fact that most of the clientele clearly knew the staff, and vice versa. So there may be a few random passers-by coming through (like my husband and me), but this is a local favorite.

And I only wish I lived a bit closer! I’m not kidding when I say it was the best breakfast I’ve had in California. It definitely ranks among my fave breakfasts ever.

What can I say? Hoover’s is the best! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Hoover’s Beef Palace Restaurant
401 N Main St
Templeton, CA 93465
(805) 434-2114

What I wore:
Dress: Blogging Molly Dress, Effie’s Heart via ModCloth
Cardigan: Trusted Essential Cardigan via ModCloth
Belt: Calderon, thrifted
Shoes: Hot for Hemlock Heel in Crimson, Chelsea Crew via ModCloth
Tights: Hue
Sunglasses: Kate Spade