Napa Valley Santa Train!

I have yet to experience the Napa Valley Wine Train, but it is on my bucket list....especially with it only being 40 minutes away.  I was just notified that the Napa Valley Wine Train will be treating over 900 underserved children to the Santa Train Experience for this holiday season....how COOL is that!?!  If you're vacationing in the Napa Valley, this might be something you want to look into!

The Napa Valley Wine Train to Treat Over 900 Underserved Children to Santa Train Experience November 19 through December 29

Holiday Train Featuring Santa and Friends Partners with Sleep Train’s Ticket to Dream Foundation and Multiple Bay Area Charities

NAPA, Calif. (November 9, 2016) – The Napa Valley Wine Train, an engaging and memorable experience that echoes the glory days of train travel, is excited to announce a partnership with Sleep Train’s Ticket to Dream Foundation providing the opportunity for foster children from around the area to experience the all new Santa Train free of charge on Saturday, November 19.  Additionally, the community is encouraged to donate an unwrapped toy at any Bay Area Sleep Train location. In turn, everyone who donates a toy at designated store locations, will receive a discount voucher for tickets to ride the all new Santa Train.  On the 19th, The Napa Valley Wine Train is also extending the Santa Train experience complimentary to the children of All Stars Helping Kids, Sonoma Mentor Alliance, Northern Lights School, Ricky Watter Kids, Cope Family Center, Boys & Girls Club of Napa, Aim High, United Playaz and Family Service of Napa Valley.  The festive Santa Train will run twice a day, seven days a week from November 19 to December 29.

“This year’s Santa Train is a whole new experience and we’re thrilled to be partnering with Sleep Train’s Ticket to Dream Foundations as well as the Bay Area’s most deserving children’s charitable organizations,” said Pat Colee, Chairman and Founder of Noble House Hotels & Resorts.  “It makes us very happy to share this magical adventure with kids that might not otherwise have had the opportunity to experience it.”

The Santa Train experience allows guests to embark on an all-new musical and interactive journey to Santa’s Workshop accompanied by some of Santa’s best friends. Magical wristbands will light up the train while guests enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, and holiday treats while they await Santa’s arrival. 

The Santa Train will run twice a day, seven days a week from November 19 - December 29 and will be closed on November 24, December 24, and December 25.  The first train departs to Santa’s Workshop at 5:00 p.m. and returns to the train station at 7 p.m.  The second ride departs at 8 p.m. and returns to the train station at 10 p.m.

Train fare for the Santa Train starts at $55 per person and guests will have the chance to take a photo with Santa Claus before departing the station.  Free Parking is available in the Napa Valley Wine Train’s parking lot and space is limited.  For reservations, please call (800) 427-4124.  For more information about the Napa Valley Wine Train, please visit www.winetrain.com. 

About the Napa Valley Wine Train

One of the few active historic passenger railroads in the United States, the Napa Valley Wine Train offers an engaging and memorable experience that echoes the glory days of train travel, with fine dining service, multi-course meals cooked to order, Napa Valley scenery and ultimate relaxation aboard exquisitely restored antique rail cars.  The Napa Valley Wine Train features vintage Pullman rail cars faithfully restored with Honduran mahogany paneling, brass accents, etched glass partitions and luxurious armchairs that evoke the spirit of luxury rail travel at the beginning of the 20th century.  Conveniently located in downtown Napa and easily accessible, the Napa Valley Wine Train offers a car-free transportation option that bring guests from San Francisco to Napa Valley via the San Francisco Bay Ferry.

About Sleep Train

Sleep Train, an award-winning company, is ranked the #1 bedding specialist in the West. Sleep Train offers customers superior service by professional and knowledgeable sleep consultants and the best selection of famous brands, such as Beautyrest®, Sealy®, Posturepedic®, Tempur-Pedic®, Stearns & Foster®, and Serta iComfort®, as well as premium adjustable beds, futons, and wood and metal accent beds at the guaranteed lowest prices. Sleep Train’s award-winning Foster Kids Program actively contributes to its community through ongoing donation drives that benefit the West Coast’s more than 80,000 foster children. Sleep Train boasts nearly 300 locations in the West. Sleep Train is Your Ticket to a Better Night’s Sleep®. For more information, please visit www.sleeptrain.comor call 1-800-378-BEDS.

About Ticket to Dream Foundation

The Ticket to Dream Foundation is dedicated to providing hope and opportunity to foster children across the nation, so they can just be kids. Ticket to Dream raises funds, spreads awareness, hold in-kind donations drive and find new experiences for foster children to create happy memories. Working with corporate partners and community supporters they believe foster children can have a childhood filled with opportunity. For more information visit www.tickettodream.org.

About Noble House Hotels & Resorts

A privately held company for more than 30 years, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Ltd. was founded in 1979 by owner Patrick R. Colee as a commercial property development group, transitioning in 1994 to a hotel ownership management company. Headquartered in Seattle, Wash., the corporation owns and manages an upscale portfolio of 18 distinct and visually captivating properties spanning the U.S.  From luxury resorts in Seattle, Wash. to Jackson Hole, Wyo. and the Florida Keys, each property maximizes and showcases its physical setting. Noble House is continuously growing, operating 45 hotel restaurants, bars and lounges, showcasing local culture and inspiration from local surroundings.  With a philosophy that emphasizes “location, distinction and soul,” Noble House Hotels & Resorts exemplifies individuality, dedicating itself to creating and managing exceptional properties that contribute to their communities, staying true to local history, culture and ambiance. 

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Sonoma Marin Fair Appreciation Dinner

Last night we were running late to attend the Sonoma-Marin Fair Appreciation Dinner at the fairgrounds.  We had our bi-monthly vet appointment for the dairy cows scheduled, which needs to happen when milking is just about finished at the end of the day.  But that's the life of a dairyman {and family}, we never make it in time for appetizer hour and barely make in time for dinner many times.  But we made it, with food left to spare.

The Fair Appreciation Dinner is put on by the board members {one of the many Boards Dominic sits on} to thank the many volunteers that work leading up to and during the Sonoma-Marin Fair. There were around 250 people in attendance.

Here, Jeff James, President of Sonoma-Marin Fair and local winery owner - James Family Cellars, calls up and hands out a recognition award to the committee that organized Farmers Day at the fair.

CEO of Sonoma Marin Fair, Pat, thanks the crowd.
















Oh and the dinner that was served to all 250 people in attendance was yummy BBQ chicken, macaroni salad , green salad, and the beans must have been really good because they were all gone by the time we got there.

A local 4H club was gaining some community service points by helping at the event.  They cleaned up tables, served ice cream sandwiches for dessert and helped to take down decorations at the end of the event.

Bryce and Paige were eager to help as well.  Here, they were helping Daddy hand out some recognition pins.

Paige immediately befriended all the 4H girls and asked to tag along with them offering to help with anything she could.

They gave away a good amount of raffle prizes after dinner.  Both Paige and Bryce wanted to help with that as well.

While they were busy working, I was checking the score of the Giants game on my new Droid.....love this thing!  But poor Giants....they did not fare well.  Hopefully they'll work it out for Saturday's game.

We came away from the evening with a bottle of some award winning wine.

Maybe we'll drink it tonight, at home on this rainy night, in front of a roaring fire.

Happy Friday!  Cheers!
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Garden and Art

Paige and I had a girl's morning / early afternoon day at Petaluma's Art and Garden Festival.  So many sites to see, taste and smell. 

Petaluma's Art & Garden Festival was started in 2002 by volunteers and the Petaluma Downtown Association as a way to raise funds for the beautification of downtown Petaluma, and to provide a place to showcase the work local artists and gardeners. And it's a Free event.

Lavender.  I love lavender.  You couldn't walk by this booth without stopping.  It smelled SO good.....if you like the smell of lavender.

The lavender was full of honey bees.  We watched them for a few minutes.  The sun was SO bright, it was difficult to get a good shot.

I like going to a garden festival mainly for new ideas that I can incorporate into our yard at home.  Loved the color of this cage.

Iron furniture always looks so perfect in a garden, doesn't it?

I thought this little chicken coop was so cute, especially with the flower garden roof.

Lots of colorful goodies to check out.

In the center of the festival, they had a stage for bands that played throughout the day, chairs, tables and umbrellas set up. 

Wine and food is also a must at any festival.  Wine and beer tasting tickets were available to purchase.

Food sampling tickets were also available for food from a number of Petaluma restaurants:

Brixx: Gourmet Thin Crust Pizza

Teriyaki & Double Dipped (Hot & Teriyaki) Chicken Wings

Jerome's BBQ: Pulled Pork with Coleslaw & BBQ Chicken
Tres Hombres: Tacos
Taps Restaurant: Meatloaf Sliders with Caramelized Onions
Maguire's Irish Pub: Tofu, Shepard's Pie & BBQ Ribs
Cordoza's Deli: Pulled Pork Sliders
Petaluma Market: Local Cheese Plate
Preferred Sonoma Caterers: Green Chili Pork Tacos with Apple Slaw and Pomegranate Ice Tea.
Bert's Desserts: Award Winning & Handcrafted Chocolate Creams and Chocolate Covered Oreos.

As Paige and I were driving out, she spotted these little Alpacas.  We were in the middle of an intersection when I snapped this photo otherwise we would have gotten a closer shot.

They also had a kids section with face painting and a jumpy.  We somehow managed to escape without participating on the jumpy........sometimes it's just not a jumpy kind of day ~ too hot.

Happy Sunday!

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Vine and Barrel Portuguese & Spanish Event

Saturday my sister, Lisa and I attended a Spanish & Portuguese wine tasting event at Vine and Barrel.  If you remember my recent post about my Portuguese heritage, you know that my family is Portuguese and I try to attend anything Portuguese, if I can.

Vine and Barrel is owned by a Petaluma native, Jason Jenkins, whom I went to high school with way back when.  The wine shop is located in historic downtown Petaluma in a building that was once a speakeasy and served as both a brothel and card room at one time.  As you walk into the wine shop, you could almost feel what it was like way back then.  In the front door, you walk into a long, narrow room with high ceilings.   Wine bottles line the dark red and warm tone tan painted walls.  A chandelier hangs from above in the center of the room, giving it a cozy glow. 

Lisa trying out some Portuguese wine.

The tapas that were served were Delicious!  My favorite, of course, were the bacon wrapped dates.  Almost like my Portuguese Roll ups but these had an walnut stuffed inside and a tangy sauce (possibly BBQ sauce) over the top.  SO GOOD!  I think I ate four or five of them!

I've been eating WAY too much bacon lately.

I think I may have a problem.

The tapas were plentiful and all included with the $30 per person cost of the event.

There were a number of wines to taste from the Spanish and Portuguese regions.  I really enjoyed tasting the different varietals.  They're so different from the California wines I'm used to.  This is what makes visiting a wine shop, such as Vine and Barrel so different than wine tasting at wineries......you can taste wines from around the world, all under one roof.

They have over a 600 bottle selection available.  Something can be found for every budget. 

Back for one more snack, before it was time to leave.  I can't say no to cheese either.

If you ever get the chance to attend one of these events, do it, you will not be disappointed!

Happy Sunday!

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