Saturday, March 28, 2009

Homeward bound.

If you haven't already heard, we are moving back to Massachusetts! I could spend all day writing about our reasons -- to many people, it is virtually incomprehensible that we would want to return to the land of snow, ice and humidity, so I have spent a fair amount of time honing my argument -- but this should suffice: there are many wonderful and beautiful things to recommend California, and we will surely be back to visit, but in the end, it is not our home.

We have been lucky. Stacey works for an international company and I work for an international law firm, and as each one has a presence in the Boston area, we're both able to keep our jobs. We are looking forward to homeownership, being legally married (California does not recognize our marriage), Red Sox season (Stacey hasn't been able to watch games here), lower sales tax, seasons, and all the friends and family we have in the area (as well as being much closer to other family in New Jersey, New York and Florida). We will miss my aunt and cousins here and the handful of friends we have in California, but we are happy to be going home.

I'm not sure yet what will become of this blog. If nothing else changes, it will at least need a new name. I'll let you know when I decide.

Packing is a bit overwhelming but is going well. As I've been plugging along on my schoolwork, Stacey has managed to pack most of the apartment. This weekend is the final push, next week we finish up at work, and on April 4th we hit the road.

Now, if we can just figure out how to pack the cat...

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Sonoma with Sam and Dena

Our friends Sam and Dena just moved from Chicago to Sacramento, and we met up with them today for a sunny Sunday in Sonoma.


Highlights: Gloria Ferrer (above), amazing weather, tasting new olive oils (like jalapeno!) at The Olive Press, brunch at El Dorado Kitchen, vanilla softserve ice cream with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt at El Dorado Kitchenette (delicious), lots of good wine, and, of course, good company.


Picholine olive trees, grapevines and yellow mustard at B. R. Cohn Winery in Glen Ellen.


Olive grove at B. R. Cohn.


The weird castle/tasting room at Ledson Winery in Kenwood.