I’m a Midwestern girl, so when someone brings up the fact that it’s fall I think of leaves falling, Halloween approaching, turkey trots and tryptophan. Then I step foot outside my California abode, take a deep breath of Mount Tam and the Bay and new thoughts come flooding in — Indian summer, still time to go to the beach, head for a quick road trip north or south, and grab some more sunshine and outdoor goodness.

The last few months have been filled with fun experiences, including a road trip with my sister to San Luis Obispo where we ticked off our bucket list with a stay at the Madonna Inn. We rode horses and dined at their delicious, most-eccentric throwback restaurant (loved this quirky place). The next day we stayed at the beautiful Hotel SLO, where we were greeted by one of the friendliest staffs and stayed in their luxurious rooms before heading to Morro Bay to get an up-close look at Morro Rock. 

There was a trip to see the new Bugs exhibition at California Academy of Sciences and visits to Wine Country, where we experienced the renovated and gorgeous Louis M. Martini Winery as well as Sonoma International Film Festival’s Summerfest. We attended the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation gala, visited new hotels — including the exceptional Beacon Grand (formerly the Sir Francis Drake) — Stanly Ranch and celebrated our one year anniversary at the Top of the Mark!

I cannot wait to see what else this season has in store. What I do know is that we are heading up to Wine Country (as in Napa Valley and Sonoma County) to celebrate our Getties (best of’s), and we will have more fun with local attractions, road trips, and a plethora of new dining experiences.

I hope that you enjoy this issue and as always — send us your feedback — we love to hear from you!

Cheers,

Nikki