A Short Getaway to Calistoga

For Inna's birthday, I had planned a two-day getaway to Calistoga, with rest & relaxation at the Indian Springs Resort & Spa and entertainment at Blue Note Napa, where one of her favorite flamenco guitarists - Ottmar Liebert was performing.

Friday, February 21, 2025

After Inna and I finished work, we started our drive to Indian Springs Resort & Spa in Calistoga. There was some traffic on the way, and we arrived later than expected. After checking in at reception, we picked up our room keys for #21. We parked our Tesla Model Y near our room and unloaded the car. Both Inna and I unpacked our suitcases and rested a bit.

I had initially made dinner reservations at Lovina for 20:15, but we decided to change to an earlier time. After a 10-minute walk from room #21 at Indian Springs, we checked in at Lovina and waited while our table was being prepared. After being seated, we ordered the following items:

• Appetizer: Freshly baked bread
• Salad: Sonoma Apple Salad
• Boris: Heritage Pork & Beef Bolognese
• Inna: Seared Wild Halibut, Mushroom Soup, Georgia's Sparkler

As expected, the freshly baked bread and Sonoma Apple Salad were excellent. Service was fast and efficient. I liked my Heritage Bolognese, and Inna raved about her Wild Halibut. The Mushroom soup was also excellent.

After dinner, we returned to our room and changed into swimsuits. We walked to the nearby thermal pool and jumped in. The water was quite hot and Inna was a bit shocked by it at first, but got used to it eventually. We swam around for an hour and returned to our room at 23:00.  

The frogs near our room were extremely loud but stopped ribbiting when we came near. After resting a bit, we turned in.

Saturday, February 22, 2025

At 08:00, we decided to try the Restorative + Meditation Yoga at the Reflection Room. We were a few minutes late (as I took a shower and shaved), but we managed to find two spaces. For some unknown reason, I felt a bit nauseous when doing some of the yoga poses (very unusual for me). We did enjoy the overall class.

On the way back to our room, we stopped at the Indian Springs' library/game room, where freshly brewed coffee was served. There were also Scrabble, chess, checkers, and other board games (in addition to many books).

At 09:15, we decided to drive for breakfast to our favorite Michelin-rated Solbar restaurant, located at the Solage Resort (just a few minutes away from Indian Springs). Solage also has free Tesla destination chargers, and we parked our Tesla Model Y at a charger and started the charging process (it took 8 hours to charge from 28% to 87%). 

From the charging lot, we walked a few minutes to Solbar. We decided to sit indoors, as it was still quite chilly outside. Initially, I was planning to order my all-time favorite Lemon Ricotta pancakes, but changed my mind. We ordered the following items:

• Boris: Duck Hash, Coffee
• Inna: Morning Benedict, Coffee

My Duck Hash was amazing, and Inna's Benedict was excellent too. We were so full that we declined to order Lemon Ricotta pancakes!

After breakfast, we left our Tesla charging and walked back to Indian Springs. We decided to use the complimentary bicycles to ride around the area. After changing into bicycling attire, we picked up the two city bikes (we did not bring the U-locks, as they were broken).

We started the ride on Lincoln Ave toward Washington Street (where we turned south). The Vine Trail turned out to be much longer than we expected and was mostly flat and separate from cars. From Washington Street, the trail continues to Sterling Vineyards and continues parallel to Hwy 29.

We biked for about 4.5 miles each way (for a total of 9 miles). We enjoyed the ride as the weather was pleasant the multiple wineries on both sides of the road were beautiful. On the return ride, we stopped by Sterling Vineyards (it was closed the last time we visited in October 2023) and noticed that it had a gondola to the top. 

After returning to Indian Springs, we dropped off the bikes and rested. For lunch, we decided to stop by Sam's Social Club, Indian Springs' main specialty restaurant near our room. I called in to make reservations, but the receptionist on the phone told me to just come in. After coming in a few minutes later, we were seated outdoors (it was a nice, sunny day). We ordered the following items:

• Drinks: Hot Tea, Coffee
• Boris: Scramble
• House Made Sausage, Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Peppers, Cheddar, Choice of Toast, Fruit
• Inna: Egg-in-the-Hole
• Parmesan-crusted brioche, Porcini Cream, Black Truffle, Arugula, Fruit

While service was a bit slow (as usual), the entrees were excellent. Inna loved her Egg-in-the-Hole (egg Benedict on brioche), while I enjoyed the Scramble.

After lunch, we played some ping-pong (Inna won 21-12) and then returned to our room to change into swimsuits. We enjoyed swimming in the adult (less hot) pool and the main pool (more hot) until about 15:40 when I left to return to our room to pick up the charged Tesla at Solage and prepare for dinner and an upcoming concert.

The drive to Napa was pleasant, and we could find parking near Blue Note Napa, where the Ottmar Liebert concert was scheduled for 18:30.

I had made dinner plans at Napkins Bar & Grill nearby, and we walked there, arriving at 17:05. After being seated, we ordered the following items:

• Appetizer: Ahi Poke
• Inna: Pan-seared Scallops
• Boris: Halibut

The Ahi Poke was excellent, as was the wild Halibut and Inna's Scallops. We enjoyed our dinner. The service was fast and efficient and the food was excellent. We decided to skip drinks and dessert, as our upcoming concert would have those to offer.

We walked a few minutes over to Blue Note Napa and showed our tickets. We were seated on the Center Platform, in high chairs. The seating is unassigned (first come, first served). It turned out to be ok, though a bit cramped with very little room. We ordered the following items from the menu (before the concert started):

• Drinks: Hot Tea
• Desserts: Apple Cobbler, Chocolate Opera Cake

The Apple Cobbler was warmly baked, generously sized, and delicious (though maybe a bit too sweet). The Opera Cake was nothing special, but too small.

Ottmar Liebert and his band Luna Negra started the concert. There were three musicians:

• Ottmar Liebert: acoustic flamenco guitar
• Jon Gagan: Electric Bass Guitars + Upright Acoustic Bass
• Robby Rothschild: Drums + Percussion

The Ottmar Liebert concert was very enjoyable, and I recognized a few songs and melodies. The Blue Note Napa is a small venue with excellent acoustics. It feels more intimate than the larger venues we have previously attended (like Levi's Stadium or Chase Center).

Here is a short clip of Ottmar Liebert playing:

The concert finished around 17:50, and we returned to our Tesla Model Y and drove back to Calistoga. We decided to go for another round of swimming in the thermal pool. This time, it was much colder, though not as cold as on Friday. However, it was cloudy and we did not see as many stars as on Friday.

Sunday, February 23, 2025

Happy Birthday, Inna!

I woke early to heavy sneezing (allergies were acting up).  At 09:00, after taking a quick shower and getting dressed, we drove over to Solbar for our morning breakfast. I was hoping to charge my Tesla Model Y but the 2 destination chargers were initially full (1 additional charger was broken).

After sitting down at Solbar, we ordered the following items:

• Duck Hash, Coffee
• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Coffee

The Duck Hash was excellent (as usual), and the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes were also fantastic. After breakfast, we returned to our Tesla and noticed that both chargers were now free. I decided to plug in the Tesla (to give a little extra charge for the return trip home). I ended up charging from 67% to 87%.

We walked back to Indian Springs Resort & Spa and changed into our swimsuits. We ended up swimming for about an hour (from 10:30 to 11:30). It was a bit colder and more cloudy than on Saturday. It also sprinkled a little bit.

I returned to our room and changed out of the swimsuits. I walked back to Solage to pick up the charged Tesla and drove it back to Indian Springs Resort & Spa. Inna was already there, and we quickly packed our suitcases and checked out of the hotel.

We decided to explore Calistoga downtown for a bit. Inna was curious about some of the jewelry shops but they turned out to be closed on Sunday. We retired to our Tesla and drove to Bouchon Bistro in Yountville.

We found a parking space near Bouchon Bistro and checked in at 12:50. (Our lunch reservation for for 13:00). We got a fantastic corner table with a window view (much better than all our previous visits). After sitting down and looking at the menu, we ordered the following items:

• Drinks: Scribe Spritz, Hot Coffee, Hot Earl Grey Tea
• Appetizer: Freshly Baked Bread, Salmon Tartare
• Soup: French Onion Soup
• Main: Lamb
• Birthday: Brownie with a candle
• Dessert: Profiteroles

The Salmon Tartar and the French Onion Soup were excellent. The Lamb was also quite delicious. We also enjoyed the birthday brownie and the Profiteroles dessert.

Unfortunately, my allergies got much worse, and I could not stop sneezing. We walked a bit after lunch (to walk off all the calories). Inna offered to drive the remaining two hours back home. I took her up on the offer, as I was sneezing too much and had a difficult time with my sneezing and itchy eyes.

The drive back home was fairly smooth with mostly light traffic, and we arrived at around 16:50. We decided to skip the birthday dinner, as I was not feeling well enough (and Alex was still driving back from Northstar).

Calistoga Trip Review

Highlights

• Swimming and relaxing at Indian Springs' Thermal Pool
• Watching Ottmar Liebert at Blue Note Napa
• Dining at Solbar, Lovina, and Sam's Social Club in Calistoga
• Dining at Bouchon Bistro, Napkins Bar & Grill, and Blue Note in Yountville and Napa
• Bicycling from Calistoga to the Napa boundary (about 4.5 miles each way)

Lowlights

• Getting allergies on Sunday

Links

• Indian Springs Resort & Spa, Calistoga
• Sam's Social Club at Indian Springs Resort & Spa
• Lovina Restaurant in Calistoga
• Solbar at Solage in Calistoga
• Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga
• Napkins Bar & Grill in Napa
• Blue Note Napa
• Ottmar Libert
• Bouchon Bistro, Yountville

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Walking around Stanford

On President's Day, Inna and I decided to visit a few shops in Palo Alto, followed by a walk around Stanford University's campus.

We first stopped by De Novo Fine Contemporary Jewelry, but it was closed on President's Day. The nearby Marvel Cake bakery was also closed.

We decided to stop by for a coffee and pastries at Cafe Venetia. We found a table outside and ordered a few drinks and pastries. We ordered the following items:

• Boris: Espresso
• Inna: Latte
• Desserts

After we finished, we continued walking toward Stanford University. Our first stop was the Arizona Garden. It was a small but beautiful garden with many cacti and other plants that thrive in dry climates. We took a few photos and rested a bit.

From here, we continued toward the Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden. I never knew that Stanford even had such a garden, and was pleasantly surprised.

I liked many of Papua New Guinea's statues in the garden. I especially liked "The Thinker" interpretation by Simon Gambulo Marmos and J Mare Wakundi.

After touring the garden, we stopped by for dinner at Oren's Hummus Shop on University Ave. We sat indoors and ordered the following items:

• Boris: Rice Bowl with Beef Kebab, Hot Cider
• Inna: Hummus Beef, Hot Mint Tea

My Rice Bowl with Beef Kebab was decent, and Inna's Hummus Beef was delicious too. We had an enjoyable day exploring Stanford and Palo Alto.

Links

• Stanford University
• De Novo Fine Contemporary Jewelry
• Marvel Cake
• Cafe Venetia
• Arizona Garden
• Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden
• Oren's Hummus

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Review: Dear San Francisco at Club Fugazi

After my usual Sunday morning tennis (from 9:00 to 10:30 at Almaden Valley Athletic Club, we decided to drive to San Francisco and explore the city. Inna also purchased tickets to the "Dear San Francisco" show at Club Fugazi at 18:00.

When we arrived in San Francisco at 13:00, we parked at Crissy Field (where I usually wing foil and windsurf). We talked to Chestnut Street, stopping by the Palace of Fine Arts to look for egrets, herons, and other local birds. Inna spotted a few green herons.

We walked toward my favorite Cracked & Battered eatery on Chestnut Street. While we walked on Chestnut Street, we noticed how unusually busy it was. Most restaurants and coffee shops were full of people, and there we long lines everywhere. 

We signed in at Cracked & Battered, but the waiting list was unusually long (over 30 minutes). When we go to Cracked & Battered, I usually like to order Fried Chicken and Waffles. 

We decided to walk around and explore other eateries. We decided to stop by and try Bluestone Lane (an Australian eatery). We ordered the following items:

• Inna: Latte,  Prosciutto & Burrata Sandwich
• Boris: Mocha, Aji Verde Pulled Chicken Sandwich with a side salad

The online ordering worked well, and we received our sandwiches quickly. My Aji Verde Pulled Chicken Sandwich was pretty good, though I still prefer Cracked & Battered Fried Chicken & Waffles.

After lunch, we walked to Lyon Street Steps, toward B. Patisserie. 

It was a long uphill climb, and we burned off a few calories.

At B. Patisserie, we ordered a few parties and coffee. We enjoyed our time there (and we got there before the large crowd showed up). To burn off a few more calories, we decided to walk to the Georgian Cheese Boat Restaurant on Grant Street (a one-hour walk). The walk was very nice, and we stopped by Starbucks on the way there.

Before going to the show at Club Fugazi, we decided to eat an early dinner at the Georgian Cheese Boat restaurant. We hoped that one hour would be sufficient for dinner. It turned out to be a close call.

After sitting down at the Georgian Cheese Boat and looking at the menu, we ordered the following dinner items:

• Acharuli Classic Kachapuri 
• Georgian Salad
• Eggplant Rolls
• Lamb Khinkali
• Nabeglavi

The dinner was excellent, and the freshly made Acharuli Kachapuri was especially delicious. The Lamb Khinkali dumplings were fantastic (and freshly made from scratch). The Georgian Salad was prepared too late, so we ended up getting it to go (and eating later at home). Overall, we really liked the Georgian Cheese Boat and plan to come again.

After we finished dinner, we rushed to Club Fugazi, arriving a bit late (but in time to see the show).

"Dear San Francisco" started a bit after 18:10, and we ordered some Earl Grey tea and Tiramisu while watching the various stunts. The Tiramisu was not bad at all.

During the show, we saw multiple acrobats perform various stunts. Some of the stunts were quite amazing, and others not so much.

Here is a sample YouTube video from the show:

While it's not at the level of Cirque du Soleil, it was not a bad show and kept us entertained.

Dear San Francisco Review

Highlights

• The acrobats (from Cirque du Soleil) are talented and perform some exciting stunts.

Lowlights

• The show lacked a coherent story
• The guitar/banjo playing was amateurish (one player played just one guitar string).
• There was no comedy (missing a clown)

Links

• Bluestone Lane
• Cracked & Battered
• B. Patisserie
• Club Fugazi - Dear San Francisco
• Georgian Cheese Boat 
• Cirque du Soleil

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Review: The Great Gatsby A New Ballet

Inna purchased two tickets to The World Ballet Company's The Great Gatsby Ballet at the Heritage Theater in Campbell, CA.

The dancers were excellent, but I am not a big fan of ballet in general. I think some dialogue would have been helpful to move the story forward and explain the relationships between all the main characters. The set design was excellent and really helped to showcase the roaring 1920s. The costumes were beautiful, but did not always match the 1920s flapper dresses.

A brief synopsis of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald from Perplexity.ai:

The Great Gatsby, set in the summer of 1922, tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire, and his obsessive pursuit of his former love, Daisy Buchanan. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to New York to work as a bond salesman and rents a house next to Gatsby's lavish mansion in West Egg, Long Island.

Nick reconnects with his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan, who live across the bay in East Egg. He learns that Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, the wife of a garage owner. Gatsby, known for his extravagant parties, befriends Nick and enlists his help to reunite with Daisy, whom he loved years before going to war. 

Gatsby and Daisy rekindle their relationship, leading to tensions with Tom. During a confrontation in New York City, Tom reveals that Gatsby's wealth comes from illegal activities. Daisy, torn between the two men, ultimately chooses Tom. 

The story climaxes when Daisy, driving Gatsby's car, accidentally kills Myrtle Wilson. Gatsby takes the blame to protect Daisy. Myrtle's husband George, believing Gatsby to be both the driver and Myrtle's lover, shoots Gatsby and then himself.

The novel concludes with Gatsby's sparsely attended funeral, highlighting the hollowness of the wealthy society he sought to join. Through this tragic tale, Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream and the excesses of the Roaring Twenties.

According to The World Ballet Company:

Step into the jazzy world of the Roaring Twenties with this new production of the World Ballet Company. See the glitz, glamor, and tragic romance of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel LIVE on stage, featuring a multinational cast of 40 professional ballet dancers, an all-star creative team, lustrous hand-crafted costumes, and lavish, groundbreaking sets. The original score evokes the energy and atmosphere of the 1920s.

 

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores several moral laws and critiques the ethical decay of 1920s society. The novel highlights the following key moral themes:

1. Corruption of the American Dream
   Fitzgerald critiques the transformation of the American Dream from a pursuit of hard work and integrity into a shallow chase for wealth and status. Gatsby's wealth, acquired through illegal means, symbolizes the corruption of this dream. His failure to achieve true happiness or acceptance underscores the futility of materialism over genuine values like love and honesty.
2. Immorality and Carelessness
   The characters exhibit infidelity, dishonesty, greed, and recklessness. Tom's abusive nature, Daisy's selfishness, Myrtle's infidelity, and Jordan's dishonesty reveal a lack of accountability and moral integrity. Their actions often lead to tragic consequences, such as Myrtle's death, yet they avoid responsibility by retreating into their wealth and privilege.
3. The Pursuit of Wealth at Any Cost
   Gatsby’s illegal activities to amass wealth reflect the moral compromises people make to climb the social ladder. This is mirrored by other characters who prioritize material gain over ethical behavior, such as Myrtle's affair with Tom to escape her lower-class life.
4. Hollowness of Relationships
   The novel critiques relationships driven by convenience or status rather than genuine love. Daisy’s choice to remain with Tom despite his infidelity reflects her prioritization of security over emotional connection. Similarly, Gatsby’s idealized love for Daisy is rooted in her status as a symbol of success rather than true intimacy.

Through these themes, The Great Gatsby exposes the moral failings of a society obsessed with wealth and status while neglecting virtues like honesty, accountability, and compassion.

Score: Anna Drubich

Choreography: Ilya Jivoy

Set Design: Sergey Novikov

Great Gatsby Review

Highlights

• The dancing was excellent and helped to move the story forward
• The set design was exceptional
• The costumes were excellent (though not matching the roaring '20s)

Lowlights

• Without dialogue, dancing alone was insufficient to describe the nuisance of the story.
• There was no orchestra. A live orchestra would have sounded better.r

 

 

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